PROCEEDINGS of the
23rd International Congress on Acoustics
9 to 13 September 2019 in Aachen, Germany

Implementation Of The Issue Of Noise From Wind Turbines At Low
Frequencies
Martino MARINI1; Costantino Carlo MASTINO2; Roberto BACCOLI3 Andrea FRATTOLILLO4 andAntonino DI BELLA5
1

DADU University of Sassari, Italy

2

DICAAR University of Cagliari, Italy

3

DICAAR University of Cagliari, Italy

4

DICAAR University of Cagliari, Italy
5

DII University of Padova, Italy

ABSTRACTThe enduring energy scenario leads to further promote the development of the exploitation of renewableenergy sources. Recent European standards, have been defining a path to reach in 2050 a level ofdecarbonization lower of 80% compared to 1990. Wind farms have been growing quickly for last decade withindividual wind turbines getting larger and larger. In addition to the benefits of containing greenhouse gas
emissions and restraining the use of depletable resources drawbacks have also appeared, due to noise
generation from wind turbines and adverse reaction of some nearby residents. The noise generated by windturbines has a broad spectrum character but the low frequency noise causes special problems. It is a fact thatin different European countries special laws have been adopted to impose noise limits and evaluation
methods for the assessment of environmental low frequency noise from this kind of sound sources. Other
countries are still lacking specific rules but in the authorization procedure such analysis is required byenvironmental control agencies. The purpose of this study consists of comparing the assessment procedures
currently used in different European countries for the prediction of low frequency noise from wind turbines
and its propagation. The comparison of procedures gives a chance to put forward progressions in low
frequency noise emission and reception.
Keywords: Sound, low frequency, regulations

1. INTRODUCTION
Global warming and greenhouse gas emissions are matters of great concern. To keep under control
and reduce such emissions, a global trend towards cleaner energy sources can be found. Concrete
alternatives for coal and other fossil fuels are nuclear power and renewable energy sources. Therefore
the present energy scenario has led to an acceleration in the development of the use of renewableenergy sources. Recent European standards, such as communications COM/ 2011/112 “Roadmap formoving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050” [1] and COM/2011/885 “Energy Roadmap
2050 “ [2], have raised the concern of defining a path to reach in 2050 a level of decarburization thatis lower than 80% when compared to 1990. One of the most promising renewable sources is to harness
energy from the wind through wind turbines.
However, the widespread use of wind turbines is significantly hindered by the noise they produce.
The technology to make full use of this source is based on large wind turbines, with a size as well as a
rated capacity which keeps on increasing. A wind farm does not produce any polluting emissions but
1marini@uniss.it
costantino.mastino@fisicatecnica-unica.it
3
rbaccoli@unica.it
4
andrea.frattolillo@unica.it
5antonino.dibella@unipd.it
21441

even so it has an impact on the environment that has to be assessed since the design stage : a careful
evaluation of the acoustic impact is required. In order to prevent the noise generated or at least to
significantly reduce it, the sources of noise have to be identified. Two major types of sources of noiseare present during operation: mechanical and aerodynamic. Mechanical noise comes from the manydifferent components within the wind turbine, such as the generator, the hydraulic sys tems and thegearbox. Aerodynamic interaction between blades and wind stream and is the dominant source of noisefrom wind turbines.
The main contributor to aerodynamic noise originates from the trailing edge of wind turbine blades.
Strategies to reduce aerodynamic noise include various adaptive solutions and wind techniques tomodify turbine blades. Different adaptive noise reduction techniques have been developing for latest
years, they include by the way varying the speed of rotation of the blades and increasing the pitch
angle. Strategies like these have been successfully implemented for noise reduction purposes but they
are not free from disadvantages as they can cause significant power loss [3].
Sounds consist of waves of fluctuating pressure, superimposed to the standard atmosphericpressure, and are usually characterized in terms of frequency spectrum [4]. Although t he broad
spectrum of the noise generated by wind turbines a special interest in recent years has been directed to
the low frequency range.
Sounds with frequency between 20 Hz e 20 kHz are those that are normally audible by humanbeings and they are classified as the sound pressure disturbances to include into the audible range.
Sounds with a frequency lower than audible threshold (i.e. with wide wavelength) are called infra
sounds [5]. Infra sounds grow into perceivable when their pressure level is high and no physicaldifference between sound and infrasound can be detected in the audible frequency range. Low
frequency noise (LFN) refers in some cases to a frequency range between 10 Hz and 200 Hz, in othercases to a range between 10 Hz and 160 Hz (Danish legislation).
In the following the regulations for wind turbines in different European countries are considered at
first together with some insights into noise generation from wind farms and noise propagation. Aftersuch a framework for the subject the present work consists of evaluating how the acoustic emissions in
the low frequency range generated by large wind turbines affect s ensible receptors (usually rural orindustrial buildings).

2. REGULATIONS FOR NOISE FROM WIND TURBINESIn Europe, and all around the world, each country has taken its own individual approach to regulate
noise generated by wind turbines. At first a we focus on noise limits and calculation methodologies
that are mandatory in the different countries.[6]Noise is a factor which plays a considerable role in territorial planning and social acceptance ofwind projects in Europe. However various studies have associated concerns over noise with visual
impact and perception which has to be assumed as the main factor for annoyance. In most countries,
noise legislation is based on national regulations, with allowable environmental noise limits
categorised by area and timing. Numerous countries have set night limits and, some, evening limits.
The level is normally calculated:

Lp , A

LW , A  K  A  Cmet

(1)

where L p,A is the A-weighted sound pressure level at the receiver, L W,A is the A-weighted soundpower of the source, K the penalty for tonal or impulse noise, A is the attenuation during propagationfrom source to receiver, C met is the meteorological correction.
The term A is made up of different contributions that impact on the transmission of sound fromsource to receiver. For wind turbines three of them are enough, corresponding respectively toattenuation due to geometrical divergence, to atmospheric absorption and to ground effect:

A Adiv  Aatm  Agr

1442

(2)

The limit for total noise in Denmark applies at a measured wind speed of 6 and 8 m/s, on a height of
10 m taken as reference in IEC standards. For a wind speed of 8 m/s the allowed values are 2dB higher
as wind turbines are assumed to produce more noise at larger wind speeds. Denmark provides different
limits for homes in rural areas and noise sensitive areas:42 dB and 37 dB (v10=6 m/s) for open
countryside and for noise sensitive land use respectively.
In the Netherlands the noise from wind turbines is evaluated with the aid of the noise indicator L den
based on the average noise emission, from local wind conditions. The same limit is applied no matter
what is the area type, but the L den must comply with a limit of 47 dB by day and 41 dB by night.
In Germany wind turbines obtain the same treatment as other technical installations. At night noisein pure residential areas has not to exceed 35 dB(A) , 40 dB(A) in small urban areas, 45dB(A) in
villages and mixed areas. The noise limits concern the cumulative noise of all the business activities.
The Directive includes requirements about the quality of calculation, as uncertainties in determining
sound power and of the transmission model.
In Belgium, with differences between Flanders and Wallonia, there is an extensive differentiationof noise limits for each destination area. Calculations are based on the noise level at 95% of windturbine reference rated power.
Noise limits are regulated by specific noise metrics in order not to jeopardize the quality of life in
nearby local communities. Looking also at United States the A weighted equivalent sound level is themost common metric but also statistical noise metrics and possible tonal issues associated with windturbines are considered [7].

3. SOUNDS AND INFRASOUNDS FROM WIND TURBINES
Low frequency noise, usually known as infrasound, can become particularly bothersome and has tobe regarded with special attention [8-10]. In the early stage of a wind farm design the noise given off
by wind turbines must be predicted accurately and compared with the limits by law enacted.
In several European countries special laws or legal requirements have been adopted to impose noise
limits and evaluation methods for the assessment of environmental noise due to this type of soundsources. Other countries are now lacking specific rules about this problem but in the authorization
procedure for wind farm planning such analysis is required by environmental control agencies.
Here the calculation procedure, reported in UNI ISO 9613 part 2 [11,12], is analyzed and extended
to the spectrum range above quoted. At the same time the predictive calculation procedure recently
issued in Danish legislation about such a subject is analyzed and a comparison between the procedures,for the prediction of the acoustic impact of the low frequency noise produced by WECS, has been
discussed with reference to a wind farm project in Sardinia, Italy [10].
Sounds are usually defined in terms of spectral components. Sounds in the frequency range
between 20 Hz and 20 kHz are those which are typically audible by human beings: they are named
sound waves that fall in the audible frequency range. Sounds with a frequency below the lower limit of
the above range are called infrasounds, however infrasounds become perceivable as the sound pressurelevel becomes high [13].
The Italian legislation on noise pollution, until 1995, was based on the Ministerial Decree, March
1st 1991, stating the maximum levels of noise exposure in the living environment. With the ena ctmentof Law 447/95 the fundamental principles are defined for the safeguard of external living environment
from noise pollution, referring to several decrees for the completion of the regulatory framework. As
infrasounds are concerned no reference law is currently providing limits for impacts of this physicalphenomenon. Most of the present rules in acoustics treat and dictate procedures for the normal field ofhearing spectrum (20Hz-20kHz). Other standards reduce the range of evaluation frequencies to thirdoctave bands with the central frequency ranging from 100 Hz to 3150 Hz.
The decree of 16/03/98 from Ministry of the Environment deals with the techniques for detecting
and measuring noise pollution by defining various environmental noise indicators and applying theminimum requirements with which measuring instruments must comply to ensure measurements
validity.
Searching for details concerning low frequency noise, in paragraph 11 of Annex B to the Decree the
LFN treatment is dealt with: "Presence of spectral components in the low frequency range: if thefrequency analysis, carried out in the manner referred to in the previous point, detects the presence ofTonal Components such as to enable the application of the correction factor K T in the range of
frequencies between 20 Hz and 200 Hz, also the correction K B ,as defined in paragraph 15 of Annex A,1443

is applied but only in the night reference time ".
From what reported in this annex of the MD above mentioned, it appears that the same decree takes
into account the low frequencies in the range between 20Hz and 200Hz, exclusively for any present
tonal component. The MD says nothing except what is reported above, on how to estimate the noise in
the whole frequency range of 20-200Hz. The survey and estimation methods of the various indicators
included in the MD must comply with what is covered in the section 7 of the said Annex B: “Themeasurements have to be performed in the absence of rainfall, fog and / or snow; the wind speed has tobe not greater than 5 m/s. The microphone must be equipped with windshield. The chain of measures
must be compatible with the weather conditions of the period when measurements are carried out andin any case in accordance with CEI 29-10 (Italian norm) and EN 60804/1994".
From that it can be observed that such survey methods are not applicable whenever the wind speed
is greater than 5 m s, which is contrary to the normal operation of a wind turbine which operates innominal conditions with wind rated speeds of 12-15 m/s, even though the wind speed at the rotor hub
is different from that at measurement site. The cut in speed of the wind enabling the wind turbine tostart operation and generation of power for large size turbines as those concerned, ranges on average
from 4 to 6 m/s.
Other European countries have established somewhat different LFN regulations. Sweden has
designed maximum LFN levels for each octave band and has incorporated them into 1999 indoor
building regulations with established L Aeq values for every frequency. German national standard DIN
45680 adopted in 2002 has been already quoted [14], its values are based on a 1/3 octave band levels
on the range of 10 to 100 Hz; the night time and daytime limits corresponds to the 50% of auditory
threshold.
Noise from wind turbines in Denmark has been regulated by a Statutory Order since 1991 by setting
fixed limits for the total noise level from all wind turbines [15]. The results of field measurements in
Denmark confirm the that the spectrum of wind turbine noise moves down in frequency as the turbine
size increases. The relative amount of the noise emitted in the low-frequency range is higher for large
turbines (2.3–3.6 MW) than for small turbines (<2 MW). The difference is statistically significant in
the frequency range below 250 Hz[13].
Revised in 2006 and later in 2011, a draft of the Statutory Order was subject of a public consultationand put into force by the Minister. Subsequently Denmark enacted a law entitled "Statutory Order on
Noise from Wind Turbines" [16]. Such a standard deals with installation, modification and operationof wind farms. Point 8 of section 2 of this legislation, reads: “Low-frequency noise: Noise in thefrequency range from 10 to 160 Hz. Low-frequency noise is characterized by the A-weighted level ofnoise in one-third octave bands from 10 up to and including 160 Hz, calculated indoors using themethod set out in Annex 1”.It deals with, the assessment of low frequency noise, more precisely sets a
range of frequencies of interest between 10Hz and 160Hz. Finally, it refers to Annex 1 where, in Part
I point 1.4, a method of calculation, is shown.

The method of calculation for the propagation of low frequency noise, proposed in the Danish
norm, is based on the following equation including various contributions:L p , ALF

LW A,ref  10  log l 2  h 2  11  'LgLF  'LV  'La

where:
l
h
11 dB
ΔLgLF
ΔLσ
ΔLa

1444

(3)

is the distance from the wind turbine base to the calculation point;height of wind turbine hub
is a correction due to distance, i.e 10 log 4π;
is the correction for the sound attenuation due to ground effects in the low frequency range;is the correction due to sound insulation in the low frequency range;is the correction due to air absorption ( D D l 2  h 2 )1/3 octave fc

10

12,5

16

20

25

31,5

40

50

63

80

100

125

160

ΔLgLF: onshore(dB)

6

6

5,8

5,6

5,4

5,2

5

4,7

4,3

3,7

3

1,8

0

ΔLgLF: offshor.(dB)

6

6

6

6

6

5,9

5,9

5,8

5,7

5,5

5,2

4,7

4

ΔLσ: (dB)

4,9

5,9

4,6

6,6

8,4

10,8

11,4

13

16,6

19,7

21,2

20,2

21,2

αa in dB/km

0

0

0

0

0,02

0,03

0,05

0,07

0,11

0,17

0,26

0,38

0,55

It is necessary to specify that the third is term ΔLσ , due to the sound insulation provided with thebuilding envelope at low frequencies, has been defined with reference to the Danish standard
constructive methodology which differs in a significant way from the national (Italian) standard
construction type.
The Danish indoor evening/night limit for Lp ALF in dwellings is at 20 dB and it does not apply tomeasurements in single positions but to levels measured by the method which uses the power averageof measurements in three positions: one position near a corner of the room and two positions where thecomplainant perceives the noise as the loudest.

4. CONCLUSIONS
The regulations concerning limits to wind turbine noise are not the same in the various countries
and to compare them is of a certain interest to better understand their rationale. Low frequency noiselacks usually a specific processing even though it got attention from stakeholders and from a medical
point of view. The procedure of calculating low frequency noise levels according to Italian and Danish
standard has been considered as a significant part in the developme nt of the design of a wind farm,characterized by individual wind turbines with increasing size.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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[2] “Energy roadmap 2050”, Communication from the commission to the European parliament, the council,
the European economic and social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, COM(2011)/885,
Brussels 15.12.2011.

[3] Jianu, O.; Rosen, M.A.; Naterer, G. (2012) Noise Pollution Prevention in Wind Turbines: Status andRecent Advances. Sustainability 4, 1104-1117.
[4] Bass, J., Bullmore, A., Hayes, M., Jiggins, M., Leventhall, G., McKenzie, A., Trinick, M., 2005, “LowFrequency Noise and Wind Turbines”, BWEA Briefing Sheet, The British Wind Energy Association.
[5] Salt, A. N., and Hullar, T. E., 2010, “Responses of the ear to low frequency sounds, infrasound andwind turbines”, Hearing Research, 268(1-2), pp. 1-21,DOI: 10.1016.
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European countries”, in Proceedings of Euro Noise 2015, 31 May-3 June Maastricht, pp.333-338.
[7] Koppen, E., Fowler, K., 2015, “International Legislation for Wind Turbine Noise", in Proceedings ofEuro Noise 2015, 31 May-3 June Maastricht, pp.321-326.
[8]. Pedersen, E,, and Larsman, P., 2008, “The impact of visual factors on noise annoyance among people
living in the vicinity of wind turbines”, J. of Environmental Psychology, 28(2), pp.379-389.
[9] Lindkvist, P., and. Almgren, M., 2011, “Low frequency indoor sound from wind turbines”, inProceedings. 4th Int. Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise, Rome April 11-14 th, , paper A49.
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the Noise generated by Wind Turbines at low Frequencies, J. of Energy Resources Technology 2017,1445

139(5).
[11] ISO 9613-1, 1993, “Acoustics-Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors - Calculation of theabsorption of sound by the atmosphere”, confirmed in 2015.
[12] ISO 9613-2, 1996, “Acoustics-Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors - General method of
calculation”, confirmed in 2011.
[13] Moeller, H., and Pedersen, C. S, 2011, ”Low-frequency noise from large wind turbines”, J. Acous. Soc.
Am. 129(6), pp.3727-3744.
[14] DIN 45680, 1997, “Measurement and evaluation of low-frequency environmental noise”.
[15] Jakobsen, J., 2012, “Danish Regulation of Low Frequency Noise from Wind Turbines”, Journal of low
frequency noise, vibration and active control, 31(4) pp.239-246.
[16] “Statutory Order on Noise from Wind Turbines”, statutory order 1284 of 15 December 2011 (inDanish, English translation available).
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Proceedings Of Forum Acusticum 2014,1446