This document provides a useful compilation of recent research pertaining to the impact of wind turbines on human health.

In late February 2009 the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) received a request from the Office of Energy Security (OES) in the Minnesota Department of Commerce, for a “white paper” evaluating possible health effects associated with low frequency vibrations and sound arising from large wind energy conversion systems (LWECS). MDH agreed to evaluate health impacts from wind turbine noise and low frequency vibrations. In discussion with OES, MDH also proposed to examine experiences and policies of other states and countries. Below are the Introduction and Conclusions of the white paper released in May 2009. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Lisa Linowes, executive director of Windaction.org, presented these slides at the 2009 Midwest Energy Conference in Chicago (March 4-5). The focus of the presentation is on the costs and impacts of building an extensive transmission system to deliver wind and renewables from the central part of the United States to points east and west.

This paper, prepared by community noise experts George Kamperman and Richard R. James, was presented at the 2008 International Noise Conference held in Dearborn, Michigan. The abstract of the paper appears below. The full body of the report can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

In this letter to residents of Burke, NY, Dr. Nina Pierpont briefly discusses her findings of health impacts on families living in proximity to industrial-scale wind turbines.

This paper was presented at the 2nd international meeting on Wind Turbine Noise held in Lyon, France, September 20 - 21, 2007. The authors, Hilkat Soysal and Oguz Soysal are with the Department of Physics and Engineering at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD.

This paper on Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Dose Responses, was presented at the Inter-Noise 2007 conference held in Istanbul, Turkey August 28-31, 2007. The authors are Mariana Alves-Pereira and Nuno A. A. Castelo Branco of the Erisa-Universidade Lusofona, Lisbon, Portugal and the Center of Human Performance, Alverca, Portugal.

This paper on Infrasound and Low Frequency Noise Dose responses, was presented at the Inter-Noise 2007 conference held in Istanbul, Turkey August 28-31, 2007. The authors are Mariana Alves-Pereira and Nuno A. A. Castelo Branco of the Erisa-Universidade Lusofona, Lisbon, Portugal and the Center of Human Performance, Alverca, Portugal.

Some elements to consider in policy, planning, and public relations

The complete report available in sections.