Dick Bowdler Noise consultant

Wind farms

I have been a supporter of Renewable Energy for nearly 50 years since I briefly worked with Richard Buckminster-Fuller - one of the early environmental activists - but I also believe that people have the right to be protected from unreasonable levels of noise. If you were to build any other form of renewable energy project you would have to comply with strict noise limits. With wind power, in most countries the limits are much more lax, particularly at night.

My first involvement with Wind Farm Assessment was in 1993. Since then I have examined and reported on around 500 wind farm Environmental Statements on behalf of Local Authorities or objectors in England, Wales and Scotland and have given evidence at over thirty Public Inquiries for objectors groups or for Councils. I have prepared noise impact assessments for turbine planning applications.

I am a strong believer that decisions should be based on the best scientific facts and to better promote that aim I have organised and chaired meetings on wind farm noise, given papers at national & international wind turbine noise conferences and written articles on various aspects of wind farm noise. I was on the DTI Noise Working Group on wind farm noise in 2006/2007 and was part of the Project Management team for RenewableUK’s research project into Amplitude Modulation.

I frequently write reviews of the noise sections of environmental statements and give evidence at planning inquiries on behalf of residents and councils.

I am the chair of the organising committee of the biennial international wind farm conferences run by Institute of Noise Control Engineering Europe - Click here.

I am co-editor of a book on Wind Turbine Noise, published in December 2011.