The Role of Aesthetics in Small Wind Policy
December 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under Energy Policy, Understanding Wind Power
To function properly, small wind and community wind turbines must be tall and unobstructed, which means that they will likely be visible at some distance. It is also a fact that some people object to their appearance. However, legislating opinion becomes a difficult task – and an inappropriate one for any authority other than a homeowners’ association (and even homeowners’ associations may wish to create policies that prohibit aesthetics from entering the debate). Regulating aesthetics requires balancing the perceived or desired character of a community; the public and private benefits of clean, renewable energy; and property rights of all parties.
Advocates say that small wind turbines are icons of the American rural landscape, dating back to the 1920s, and that today they have again emerged as a symbol of independence and a cleaner future. They argue that so long as a small wind or community wind turbine is installed safely, particularly on private property, they should be allowed. System owners compare the aesthetics of their residential turbine to that of a street lamp, utility pole, or flag pole, and like a flag on a flagpole, a turbine only moves or makes a sound when the wind blows. Advocates also point to precedent, noting that communities already accept water towers, buildings, billboards, relay towers, cell phone towers, utility poles and lines, grain silos, and radio antennas as part of the landscape.
But the aesthetic impact of small wind turbines may be unacceptable in areas with historic significance where aesthetics play an important role in a district’s long-established character. Opponents say that their height and movement are a distractive and unpleasant sight and visually intrude on their rights as property owners. Both views are based on emotion, however, not fact. As such, aesthetics are often a very sensitive issue and policymakers should take care to address any concerns fairly.
Small wind turbines are designed to blend in with their surroundings as much as possible. Studies show that wind turbines best blend into the sky when painted the factory-default color. Manufacturers avail themselves of expertise to determine how to prevent their turbines from standing out like a sore thumb on the landscape. So requiring owners to “disguise” a turbine or tower by painting it green or other colors to match vegetation would actually make it stand out more and should be avoided.
Some communities regulate appearance by prohibiting the use of commercial markings, messages, or banners on the wind turbine or turbine tower. Some towns also dictate which tower types are acceptable in order to ensure only the most visually appealing design. This, too, is a subjective assessment, and such decisions are often made without considering the added cost of a “sleeker” tower that performs just as reliably as another design. A monopole tower (like a flag pole) generally has a “tidier” appearance than a lattice tower (like a radio tower) or guyed tower (like a flag pole with wire supports), but they can cost several thousands of dollars more and should not be considered equal economic substitutes. All towers on the market are professionally engineered for safety and reliability, leaving appearance and cost the only significant differences among them.
There is a company in Upstate New York with a unique turbine design that can be mounted at 16 feet (or rooftop). They just began publicly trading last month, Wind Tamer Turbines (WNDT).
Have spoken with city planner in my (small) town. As usual, first thing out of planner’s mouth is a long litany of reasons NOT to do anything. One could say that an administrator typically ONLY deals with the negative and rarely the positive. But it is frustrating to see something like alternative energy being met with reasons not to do it instead of the many ways to embrace and extend. Very few seem to grasp that the goal is to wean ourselves from the difficulty of foreign and/or dirty energy expenditures and that it needs to start SOMEWHERE. But nimby is ever present.
Southern Wisconsin also lacks anyone who can do a wind study. Anemometers are nearly impossible to find or even rent. I suspect this is also a common problem in most parts of the country. Collecting data, even assessing wind data, is still tough to do.
However, other major issues that are now standard in our culture, all had their first days mired in difficulty, much like small wind is today. I hope that through incentive, persistence, and a desire for a new energy source, somehow small wind can break through to the next level and someday be commonly seen in backyards.