Rain impacts the acoustics of a WTG

Wind turbines sometimes create noise pollution, and as most of the WTG’s are located near private accommodations, your asset consequently has to respect acoustic standards.

When setting up a Wind-Turbine plant, an acoustic study is carried out to determine the difference of noise production between an ‘off’ and an ‘on’ plant. These noise differences are called “acoustic emergences”. This study could lead to a curtailment plan, which determinates when to slow down / stop the plant’s activity to prevent it from producing emergences.

As an acoustic pollution itself, rain positively impacts WTG’s. Indeed, as it produces a noise, water drops reduce the acoustic emergences’ level.

Curtailment plans should therefore be adjusted for rainy situations. This is because, the harder it rains, the less acoustic emergences your WTG creates, as rain increases ambient noise.

By Clément Vinet, Asset Manager