French court ruling may open way for cases against wind turbines
Tests on claimant's house found high levels of 'infrasound' that could not be stopped by home insulation
In France, turbines in the 150-200 metre range have flashing lights day and night, and make noise when they turn
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A court has recognised for the first time in France that wind turbines can affect people’s mental health, even when they are further away from houses than the 500 metres currently required by law.
The ruling could potentially make it much harder to install wind turbines anywhere near homes.
The case concerned a retired teacher who had lived in a rural property in Somme with her husband since 1985.
She started experiencing health problems when 12 wind turbines were installed 750 metres from her home in 2009.
She sued the property promoter who sold the land for the turbines, as well as various turbine operators.
Several symptoms following turbine installation
As is standard in France, the 150–200-metre-tall turbines have flashing lights day and night, and make noise when they turn.
Watching the rotating blades can have a similar effect on some people as strobe lights.
The woman, who has not been named, developed dizziness, tinnitus, and sleep disorders, which she attributed to the wind turbines. They went away when she and her husband moved to another property.
Tests on her original house found high levels of infrasound (frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility) emitted by the turbines, which insulation to the property could not stop.
'Wind turbine syndrome'
“What is important in this case is that she also developed something which has been recognised as ‘wind turbine syndrome’, where, in addition to physical problems, the turbines provoked a form of anxiety known as angoisse,” Maître Philippe Bodereau, who took the case to court in Strasbourg, told The Connexion.
To establish the link between his client’s anxiety and the presence of the wind farm, the lawyer requested a neurological examination.
The report noted headaches occurring when the wind turbines were in operation.
“Angoisse has been recognised since 2017 in French law as something which can be pursued in court if caused by the actions of another. It was on this basis that we won the case,” he said.
Compensation has yet to be decided, and will be based on estimates of what the property is now worth, compared to what it would have been worth if the wind farm had not been built.
Maître Bodereau said it was possible that the decision, made late last year, would be subject to an appeal, although at the time of writing none had been lodged.
“I have similar cases from all over France,” he said. “Now that one court has found that wind turbines can cause angoisse it sets a precedent which can be used as an argument in other cases.”
Will case reduce wind turbine expansion?
He said the ruling could have a wider impact in reducing the number of wind turbine projects in France.
“The basic problem is that nearly all the projects are near homes, and many people living in these homes are negatively impacted by them.
“I’m sure that if someone came and planted a huge turbine even one kilometre from my home it would make me unhappy and could even cause mental health problems.”
He said there are currently no measures to combat the infrasound waves produced by turbines.
“Even a sound wall would not work because the masts are so high and the infrasound seems to come from the blades at the top,” he said.
However, the government announced last year that it was pushing ahead with plans for more land-based wind turbines in France, as well as huge offshore wind farms.
A simplification to planning and consultation procedures is proposed, so land-based wind farms can be installed quicker than the average seven years it now takes to get approval.
Part of the new push for wind turbines is prompted by changes to finance laws. These will make it easier for individuals and communes to invest in local wind farm projects for as little as €1,000 with the promise of attractive returns.
However, one of the projects pioneering the new finance model, based in Saône-et-Loire, has generated intense opposition.
It involves three communes and is due to be operational in 2030. Locals claim it is on well-known bird migration routes and will turn birds “into mincemeat”.
