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Microseimic Monitoring of Low Frequency Vibrations generated by Wind Turbine Farms and their effect on the UK Nuclear D
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, Near Surface Geoscience 2012 – 18th European Meeting of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, Sep 2012, cp-306-00192
- ISBN: 978-90-73834-34-7
Abstract
Eskdalemuir, International Monitoring station which lies in the southern Uplands of Scotland is a critical part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty seismic network and was chosen as one of the quietest seismic sites anywhere in the UK (and Europe). Her are already several current wind fr5ams and many more planned and work by Styles in the late 90s had already shown that these produce low frequency tonal ground vibrations which can be detected at significant distances. The MOD placed an 80 km restricted zone around Eskdalemuir sterilizing a huge area for renewable wind energy. We have carried out detailed studies which have allowed this restriction to be relaxed so that some 1.5GW of wind energy can be planned and constructed. As the noise budget is now nearing full allocation, new techniques to damp ground vibrations from these turbines have been developed and this paper described the results of monitoring these damped turbines. Small turbines of < 50 KW have also been refused permission now and we also report modelling and monitoring studies of several small wind turbine designs.