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| A wind turbine being erected in Nova Scotia |
Nova Scotia is a Canadian leader in wind energy. From Yarmouth County through to Cape Breton, wind farms across Nova Scotia generate over 284 megawatts of renewable energy. Nova Scotia Power and independent producers will continue to develop our wind energy capacity in the coming years, meaning there will be as many as 168 turbines operating in Nova Scotia by 2012.
Wind turbines in Nova Scotia stand as tall as a 20-storey building and there are even taller turbines elsewhere. Typically, wind turbines used in Nova Scotia are equipped with a triple-blade rotor atop each tower that can be up to 90 meters in diameter. The blades capture the wind and convert it into energy.
The turbine rotors turn relatively slowly, about 25 revolutions per minute. They require a minimum wind velocity of 10 km per hour and shut down automatically when winds reach about 90 km per hour.
The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), a non-profit organization that promotes the development and application of wind energy in Canada, has published a report regarding the sound and health effects of wind turbines.
In early 2009, CanWEA and the American Wind Energy Association established a scientific advisory panel to conduct a review of the current literature available on the issue of perceived health effects of wind turbines. The expert panel reviewed of a large body of scientific literature, specifically with regard to sound produced by wind turbines, before releasing their findings.
The report is available for viewing online through CanWEA's web site or via direct link (PDF).