Wind turbine noise annoyance – an interdisciplinary three-year field study

Concerns have been raised about the effects of wind turbine (WT) sounds on the well-being of residents. Based on stress psychological models noise annoyance is an indicator connected to well-being. Still there is a lack of interdisciplinary studies observing the impact of noise annoyance on residents over an extended time frame. To understand annoying situations more precisely than previously possible, in a three-year investigation, we analyzed annoyance reports by residents with simultaneous measurements of acoustics, ground motions as well as meteorological and operational parameters. Ground motion and sound pressure levels could not explain noise annoyance, while there are hints to a connection with amplitude modulation and rotational speed. In a regression analysis only the combination of objective and subjective factors is able to predict annoyance sufficiently, with wind speed as the most relevant physical, and the perception of the planning process as the most relevant subjective factor. To meet concerns and better understand annoyance both aspects have to be considered: fairness in the planning process as well as the operational and environmental parameters influencing noise perception.