Study: Saarde wind farm does not exceed the noise limits

Noise studies commissioned by Utilitas Wind and carried out by the Health Board showed that the noise from the wind turbines of the Saarde wind farm is significantly lower than the strictest norm levels in force in Estonia.

In November 2024, the Public Health Laboratory of the Health Board carried out noise measurements at a total of 14 different points near the wind turbines of the Saarde wind farm and at residential buildings. In addition, low-frequency noise was measured inside four residential buildings. The average wind speed at the time of measurement was 7.3-9.2 m/s and the maximum up to 16.4 m/s. During the period when the noise was measured, the wind turbines at the Saarde wind farm were operating in normal mode.

“Wind speeds can be considered suitable for carrying out measurements and the wind turbines operated at the maximum possible noise level for a large part of the measurement period. At higher wind speeds, the background noise would already exceed the noise coming from the wind turbine,” explained Piret Toonpere, environmental consultant at OÜ Lemma, the organizer of the noise study and the compiler of the report.

The results of the study confirmed that the noise from wind turbines is below the normal values – all measurement results were below the strictest norm levels established in the Republic of Estonia both during the day and at night.  

“The noise level measured at a distance of just one kilometer from the wind turbines of the Saarde wind farm is significantly below the strictest standards in Estonia and internationally. If there is more noise than this at residential buildings located even further away from the wind turbines and in the same direction, the wind turbines cannot be considered the cause.  For example, there was a river and an artificial dam next to a measuring point located next to a residential building, which apparently affected the noise level measured next to the residential building, which was the only measurement result that exceeded the noise target value by 0.5 dB,” Toonpere explained.

The infrasound level was significantly below the limit value

In addition to the usual noise levels, the possible occurrence of infrasound generated by wind turbines in the interior of residential buildings near the Saarde wind farm was investigated. Based on the noise measurement results, the infrasound level arising from the operation of the Saarde wind turbines does not exceed the limit value established in residential buildings.

According to Regulation No. 75 of the Minister of Social Affairs, the limit value of the G-corrected equivalent sound pressure level of constant infrasound or the G-corrected equivalent sound pressure level of variable infrasound is 85 dB. The measurement results confirmed that the infrasound level in all residential buildings was significantly below the limit value, remaining between 41.8 and 52.9 dB. The noise studies of the Saarde wind farm were motivated by the desire of local residents to obtain more accurate data on the sound generated in the vicinity of the wind farm. “In the course of the environmental impact assessment of the Saarde wind farm, thorough modelling was carried out, which did not show that even the strictest noise levels would be exceeded. As local residents were concerned about whether the noise generated by the wind turbines met the requirements, additional measurements were carried out for the sake of clarity. As far as we know, the noise of an existing wind farm has not been studied so thoroughly in Estonia before,” said Kristiina Nauts, Head of Development in Utilitas Wind.

The full report of the study of the noise measurements of the Saarde wind farm (in Estonian) is available here.