I'm starting to think about my dissertation and I know I want to focus on wind power as it is an area of interest for me. I am more interested in the social side of this rather than the engineering side. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Hi!
As I know, some people (usually local inhabitants) feel concerns related to the negative influence of the turbines on their health via possible low-frequency vibration of air and ground. This creates a loss of confidence in renewable energy technologies. Maybe, investigation of such “social awareness” phenomena could help in the development of wind turbines.
Dear Eilidh Thomson
maybe the fact of economical connection. if the public is involved, which consequences did this have on realisation and aceptance...
best regards
Dear Eilidh:
Wind turbines affect the community:
Many complain about the sound and vibration the turbines bring to their community. Although the sound is minimal, it still aggravates some habitants. The blades on the turbine are largely aerodynamic and much of the sound stems from the motor itself, not the blades. Also, it is inevitable when experiencing high wind speeds that is will create a minimal buzz. However, engineers have been working on this to make it as soundproof as possible. Some suggestions have been made to minimize the blade surface as well as using sound absorbent materials to help chamber the turbine noise. In addition, not all people see these large structures as works of art. Although this relates to personal preference, some view them as eyesores. This truly comes down to how much the community is going to give up to receive cleaner power. Another social impact is that citizens’ health would increase over time. People would not be exposed to as many hazardous wastes and emissions because people would be moving away from burning fossil fuels and using cleaner, greener energy such as wind power. Another social impact relates to the public’s political views. This would play a large part in their choice for energy providers. Liberals would be more likely to embrace the wind energy movement and switch their household’s energy supplier. Also when it is election season, liberals may be persuaded to vote for a specific candidate based on their outlook on cleaner energy for the nation.
More on “Local Nuisance” Impacts:
1-- Noise: Often-cited concern, but significant mostly within wind farm boundaries.
2-- Need to have a sufficient setback (>300 m suggested, also for blade/ice throw risks).
3-- Radar and telecommunications interference if within line-of-sight.
5-- Aircraft safety—airport runways and approach paths (land-use planning); crop spraying.
Visual Impacts of Wind Power:
1-- Visual impacts have been leading socio-environmental constraint to installing wind farms and their transmission lines (Europe and North America).
2-- Less concern in developing world
thus far (turbines viewed as novelty or sign of progress).
3-- Shadow flicker is special case of
visual impacts—and one that tends not to be explicitly regulated.
Land Acquisition Options:
1-- Land acquisition for onshore wind farms and their complementary infrastructure: Expropriation, purchase,
lease/rental, easements.
• Trade-offs between voluntary and compulsory approaches
2-- Potential displacement, requiring resettlement, when land is expropriated
• Standards for compensation for livelihoods impacts and lost income/assets.
3-- Land purchases and lease/rental tend to be much more common.
4-- Imposition of easements and complementary infrastructure.
Socio-Cultural Aspects:
1-- Involvement of indigenous and traditional rural populations:
Over-representation in areas most suitable for wind power development.
2-- Impacts on Physical Cultural Resources (archaeological, fossil, historical, religious,
sacred sites or objects): Need protection or salvage; chance finds procedures.
Indigenous Peoples Issues in Relation to Wind Power:
1-- Potential for cultural disruption:
Introduction of changes that IPs may find undesirable or unwelcome.
2-- Need for culturally sensitive
consultations.
3-- Evolving international standards
for consultations.
4-- Approaches to culturally compatible benefits-sharing:Often requires the delivery of collective benefits.
Finally:
There's some key potential human impacts, positive and negative, of wind-energy projects on people in surrounding areas. The impacts include aesthetic impacts; impacts on cultural resources such as historic and archeological sites and recreation sites; impacts on human health and well-being, specifically, from noise and from shadow flicker; economic and fiscal impacts; and the potential for electromagnetic interference with television and radio broadcasting, cellular phones, and radar.
And you can read this article:
"THE SOCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF WIND TURBINES"
(by Sebastian Wehrle, reFUEL researcher) at this URL: "https://refuel.world/blog/2019/11/18/the-social-costs-and-benefits-of-wind-turbines"
And also you can benefit from this valuable pdf research:
"The Effects of Wind Power on Human Interests
A Synthesis
Marianne Henningsson, Sofia Jönsson, Johanna Bengtsson
Ryberg, Gösta Bluhm, Karl Bolin, Bosse Bodén, Kristina Ek,
Karin Hammarlund, Inga-Lena Hannukka, Carina Johansson,
Sanna Mels, Tom Mels, Mats Nilsson, Erik Skärbäck, Patrik
Söderholm, Åsa Waldo, Ingegärd Widerström and Niklas Åkerman"
I hope it will be helpful ...
With best regards....
Hi! I think that tourism's positives and negatives have a lower presence in the literature. Offshore wind social aspects is a good theme too. If you want to talk more about this, send me a message.
The construction of wind farms can affect prehistoric remains buried on land or on the seafloor in marine environments. The presence of cultural heritage has to be investigated and take into account. While this is an indirect social/cultural aspect of wind farm constructions, the protection of cultural heritage is important.
I recommend checking the reliability and accessibility of the power system considering the uncertainty of power generation by the wind farm.
I agree with the answer given by the researcher Konstantin Vostrov
The most important challenge in wind energy system is the power control and stability.You can come up with an idea to control the voltage and improve the voltage stability of wind energy system.
You may consider the effect of GIC on wind turbine reliability.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Cognitive Science
- Thinking