Wind Farms

I'm concerned about our planet and the direction its going. I'm also concerned about blindly going for the first idea that comes across my vision. That's why I had mixed opinions on Wind farms after speaking with some friends and relatives on this trip.

On the plus side they consume no energy once made and installed, it diversifies energy production from fossil fuels, does not generate physical pollution, cost per megawatt has decreased as technology increases, and costs taxpayers due to the tax breaks provided to the companies that provide them.

On the minus side they can interfere with bird migration (mitigated with smooth pylons and installing outside of migration zones), is dependent on the wind (duh), produces noise for those close to the windmill (and produces a sympathetic vibration detectable for those further away), and lowers property values.

The image above is a wind farm on the isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on the VIA train. There are many more wind generators than is pictured. When I was staying at my friends in Sackville, you could hear a slight whooph-whooph noise which was more pronounced in the car. The glass in the car, which is just a very slow moving liquid, would be sensitive to different frequencies and thence accentuate the sound. Perhaps if some sort of wind buffers were created a certain calculated distance from the windfarm, on the ground at an angle to break up the low frequency sound, it would make local residents more open to windfarms. The buffers could look like small low hills with flora and such to make the area nicer as well. Just a thought.

Overall I lean on the for-wind-farm side as long as proper care is made for placement. A wind farm (for sci-fi gaming) or windmill (for fantasy) would also make a good terrain piece.