Project Number:

3284

Minuteman Wind Project

SERVICE:

Wind Turbine Noise and Shadow Flicker Review

DESCRIPTION:

The Minuteman Wind Project consists of five 2.5-MW Clipper Liberty C99 turbines at 80-meter hub height installed along the West Hill ridge in the Town of Savoy, Massachusetts. The Savoy Zoning Board of Appeals approved the Special Permit for the Minuteman Wind 12.5-MW project at its meeting on May 21, 2010, and the project received its Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) approval earlier in the month.

Tech Environmental provided an independent noise, shadow flicker and visual impact review of the wind energy project for the Savoy Zoning Board and Minuteman Wind. Mr. Peter Guldberg of Tech provided expert analysis and testimony that proved to be key in the project's MEPA and Zoning Board approvals. Mr. Guldberg's review of the project's original sound study uncovered some deficiencies, but once these were corrected, he was able to demonstrate that the Minuteman Savoy project will fully comply with the MassDEP Noise Policy and produce relatively low levels at nearby residences.

Tech Environmental also studied Minuteman's report on "shadow flicker" -- the effect of the wind turbine blades passing in front of the sun. Guldberg said the flicker effect would, indeed, be minimal at the nearest residences, as is stated in Minuteman's report. Given the distance from the turbines to the nearest houses, Mr. Guldberg said shadow flicker will only occur around sunrise and sunset, and he used international guidelines to place the potential impacts in context.

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Key Points

  • The Minuteman Wind project proposed to build five wind turbines in the town of Savoy, MA.
  • Tech reviewed environmental studies for the Savoy Zoning Board and Minuteman Wind, identifying deficiencies that were quickly corrected, and ultimately demonstrating compliance.