Wind Power and Human Health: Flicker, Noise and Air Quality

Shadow flicker occurs when the sun is low in the sky and a wind turbine creates a shadow on a building. As the turbine blades pass in front of the sun, a shadow moves across the landscape, appearing to flick on and off as the turbine rotates. The location of the turbine shadow varies by time of day and season and usually only falls on a single building for a few minutes a day. Shadows that fall on a home may be disruptive. Shadow flicker has been a concern in Northern Europe where the high latitude and low sun angle exacerbate the effect.