A new report from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) concludes that shadow flicker has not proven to be a nuisance in the UK.
Shadow flicker is a rare effect caused when rotating turbine blades cast shadows through narrow openings such as windows when the sun is low in the sky. The phenomenon has been cited by opponents of wind farms as responsible for adverse health effects as well as visual distraction.
But a study by consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff for the Department of Energy and Climate Change concludes that shadow flicker is limited in extent, carries no significant health risk and can be effectively mitigated where it does arise. Recommendations in the companion guide to Planning Policy Statement 22 on energy are adequate to ensure that the effect is properly examined in the planning process, the study concludes.
“It is vital that we use the most up-to-date, robust and accurate scientific evidence when looking at the impact of wind farms on communities. This study will be helpful to communities, developers and planners as they assess proposals for onshore wind projects,” said energy minister Charles Hendry.