As President Obama prepares to tout the benefits of "green jobs" and "clean energy" at the Copenhagen climate meeting, it might be a good time to review wind energy's dirty little secret - a phenomenon known as "shadow flicker."
SHADOW FLICKER
Shadow flicker is the on-and-off flickering effect of a shadow caused when the rotor of a wind turbine temporarily blocks sunlight. Watch the video below to see just how disruptive green energy can be if you are living in the shadow of a wind turbine:
Wind Watch analyzes the situation:
Look at the facts of the situation. The rotational speed of the blade assembly on a large turbine is between 12 and 24 revolutions per minute or one revolution every 2.5 to 5 seconds. Standard turbines have three blades, so that means that the blades will create a shadow every .83 to 1.67 seconds.
These turbines are blocking the sun on and off once every second; this creates a flashing effect than can impact an entire house. Imagine this: At night, go into a room and turn two lamps on. Once every second for an hour turn one of the lamps on and off while someone else sits in the room and tries to read a book, or watch TV, or any of the other activities one typically does in their home.
I can almost guarantee that within five minutes the person trying to do anything in this room will not be in the best of moods, to say the least. This is what it will be like to be in a home affected by flicker.
Source: Wind Watch
If you search "shadow flicker" on YouTube, there is no shortage of videos on the subject:
DOES SHADOW FLICKER CAUSE SEIZURES?
There seems to be some evidence that suggests shadow flicker can cause epileptic seizures in some people:
The most severe, though by no means the only health risk associated with shadow flicker and strobing is seizure. It is a known fact that flickering or strobing light can cause seizure in susceptible individuals. Other risks due to flicker and strobing include headache, loss of balance, nausea and disorientation. Having a seizure is a severe medical issue but if that seizure, or for that matter disorientation, were to take place while a person was driving a car or operating farm equipment, it could be devastating to that individual and family.
Source: Chautaqua Wind Power, The Citizens Repsond
Canadian economist Michael Trebilcock gave a lengthy presentation in opposition to Ontario's proposed Green Energy Act. Trebilcock addressed the seizure question directly:
A growing body of scientific and medical evidence suggests that the health effects on those subjected to long and frequent periods of pulsating, low-frequency noise associated with wind turbines include sleep disturbances leading to depression, chronic stress, migraines, nausea and dizziness, exhaustion and anger, memory loss and cognitive difficulties, cardiac arrhythmias, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Kamperman and James[11] list no fewer than 13 studies that show noise from wind turbines at night can disturb residents more than 2 km away. Those living close to the source of noise can develop what has been termed "Vibroacoustic Disease (VAD). Noise from wind turbines exhibit the characteristics of noise experienced in various occupations (aircrews, aircraft maintenance workers, ship workers and an islander population exposed to environmental infra and low frequency noise) and has been shown to lead to VAD. Complaints from people living near wind turbines are the same as those from persons who have developed VAD.[12] Also, flicker from turbines at a minimum are disruptive and annoying. Flicker poses a potential risk of photosensitive seizures.[13]
The refusal of the provincial government to order full independent environmental assessments, including assessments of health effects, of any wind turbine project, undermines the credibility of claims that there will be no such negative effects.
Source: Energy Probe
Given the recent Climategate scandal, it wouldn't be surprising if the health risks of wind turbines have been glossed over by government officials.
And now might be a good time for congress to explain exactly how Obamacare will deal with the potential increase in epileptic seizures, if both Obamacare and Cap and Trade are signed into law.
