Study Finds Wind Turbines Do Not Affect Property Values

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013 | Comments Off on Study Finds Wind Turbines Do Not Affect Property Values
Figure 1: Map of Transactions, States, and Counties

51,276 home sales

67 wind facilities

27 counties

9 states

0 effect

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently published a study with a title that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, “A Spatial Hedonic Analysis of the Effects of Wind Energy Facilities on Surrounding Property Values in the United States”.  The comprehensive study found “no statistical evidence that home prices near wind turbines were affected in either the post-construction or post announcement/ preconstruction periods.” According to the press release, “This study, the most comprehensive to-date, builds on both the previous Berkeley Lab study as well a number of other academic and published U.S. studies, which also generally find no measureable impacts near operating turbines.”

Ben Hoen, the lead author of the new report says “Although there have been claims of significant property value impacts near operating wind turbines that regularly surface in the press or in local communities, strong evidence to support those claims has failed to materialize in all of the major U.S. studies conducted thus far”.

The findings of this study bring to mind a recent Patch article following up on the contentious North Kingstown Green wind turbine.  This 413-foot-tall turbine was installed in a residential subdivision about a year ago.  Some of the neighbors and former opponents of the project now state ““It doesn’t bother me”, “You’re sitting outside and it’s not there”, and “The peepers at night drown out the sound.”


Blog post written by Jason Gold, P.E.

Salty Brine Beach Wind Turbine

Sunday, August 1st, 2010 | Comments Off on Salty Brine Beach Wind Turbine

Salty Brine Beach Wind TurbineNortheast Engineers & Consultants has completed the construction of a 10kW wind turbine at the Salty Brine Beach in Narragansett, RI. The turbine will provide power to the newly constructed, energy efficient Bath House.

We worked closely with our client, The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, to contract the specified wind turbine and a monitoring system that will show beach visitors the historical and instantaneous power output of the turbine.

Construction began with the assembly of the 100 foot lattice tower, which was constructed on it’s side, in the adjacent parking lot. The turbine was then assembled and attached to the top of the tower with the use of a 100-ton crane. After the completion of the electrical system, the tower and turbine were hoisted and placed on the concrete foundation. The state of Rhode Island will enjoy this renewable energy project for years to come.

The grand opening ceremonies for the new facility took place on May 24, 2010. The event was open to the public and attended by Governor Donald Carcieri, Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Jim Langevin, Wally Brine, Jr., and other state and federal officials.

The Next Clean Energy Source: Hydrokinetic Power

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 | Comments Off on The Next Clean Energy Source: Hydrokinetic Power

Hydrokinetic power[1] is the power generated by capturing the energy from natural flowing water, such as tides, currents, and waves. It is similar to conventional hydroelectric power, or hydrostatic power[2], in that it harnesses energy from moving water to create electricity. However, unlike dams, hydrokinetic power devices do not disturb the natural flow of water with manmade barricading structures, thus have a minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Continue reading blog post

Green Buildings and LEED

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 | Comments Off on Green Buildings and LEED

Sustainable or green buildings consume fewer resources, have lower impact on the environment, and promote healthier spaces to its occupants compared to conventional buildings. However, the design, construction and operation of these green buildings require specific strategies that improve their environmental performance. Continue reading blog post

What Makes a Good Solar Site

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 | Comments Off on What Makes a Good Solar Site

To assess the feasibility of installing a solar system, several factors have to be considered:

  • Orientation
  • Structure
  • Distance to transmission lines

Continue reading blog post