Frequently Asked Questions

Won't the view from the Rock of Cashel be damaged?
Won't the windfarm be visible for miles around?
Won't the windfarm destroy the beautiful landscape in the area?
Does the local community benefit from this project?
Won't noise from the turbines be very loud and intrusive?
How close are the turbines to houses?
What is 'Shadow Flicker'?
How much 'Shadow Flicker' will the houses around Killhill experience?
Won't the turbines cause health problems for people in the area?
Aren't the turbines dangerous?
Will T.V. reception be affected?
Won't my property value be adversely affected by the windfarm?
We just don't want the windfarm here, why can't they go somewhere else?
How are our concerns being addressed?
How can I find out more?

Q. Won't the view from the Rock of Cashel be damaged?

A. No . The windfarm is effectively screened from view by hills between the windfarm and the Rock of Cashel - see 'Visual Impacts'.

Q. Won't the windfarm be visible for miles around?

A. Yes it will . The photomontages illustrate the final appearance of the windfarm from some of the key vantage points - see 'Visual Impacts'. This is an unavoidable effect of this type of green energy solution. Surveys of attitudes of the Irish Public indicate that 75% of people have positive feelings about the appearance of windfarms. For more information, you can check the survey on the S.E.I. website.

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Q. Won't the windfarm destroy the beautiful landscape in the area?

A. No. Opinions about the appearance of turbines on the landscape vary widely from person to person. Recent surveys of attitudes to windfarms in Ireland broadly support this opinion. As part of our examination of the impacts, we have looked at the important viewpoints as identified in the South Tipperary County Development Plan and our conclusion is that these views will not be significantly affected by the proposed windfarm - see 'Visual Impacts'. We maintain that turbines are elegant structures and will be a positive contribution to the landscape.

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Q. Does the local community benefit from this project?

A. The promoters have offered to discuss how local community organisations can derive benefit from the windfarm. Feedback would be welcome on this subject from interested parties.

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Q. Won't noise from the turbines be very loud and intrusive?

A. No. We have located turbines so as to keep the noise impact from Killhill windfarm to within the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government's (DoEHLG) Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006. Noise from windfarms is caused mainly by the rotors passing through the air creating a 'swooshing' sound. Turbine manufacturers are constantly making aerodynamic improvements to the rotors leading to less noise for a given size of rotor. At 1 km from the windfarm boundary, the noise levels will be indistinguishable from the existing background levels. At 500m from the turbines, there will be an acceptably small increase in background noise i.e. within DoEHLG guideline limits - see 'Noise Impacts'.

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Q. How close are the turbines to houses?

A. The turbines at Killhill windfarm are at least 500m from all dwellings. This is in line with DoEHLG guidelines. Dualla village is more than 1km from the nearest turbine.

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Q. What is 'Shadow Flicker'?

A. 'Shadow Flicker' is the effect seen by someone looking at the sun shining through the turning rotor blades of a turbine. The locations and duration that this is visible varies as the sun travels on its daily path from east to west, and also, with the season of the year. It also needs the rotors to be across the line of sight to the sun, i.e. the wind direction is a key factor also.

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Q. How much 'Shadow Flicker' will the houses around Killhill experience?

A. Very little. The amount of 'Shadow Flicker' can be predicted by specialised computer programs. The results show that no house between 500m and 1500m from turbines will experience 'Shadow Flicker' for more than 30 hours per annum which is in line with the DoEHLG guidelines. In most cases, houses will experience less than 10 hours per year and less than 10 minutes per day. Houses more than 1300m from the windfarm will experience no Shadow Flicker.

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Q. Won't the turbines cause health problems for people in the area?

A. No. There is no recorded incident of any member of the public being injured in any way by an operating windfarm. Likewise, there is no scientific or verifiable evidence to support claims that windfarms cause any health problems whatsoever. There are no emissions of any kind from a windfarm, which is in stark contrast to conventional fossil fuel power stations. Windfarms are entirely safe.

Q. Aren't the turbines dangerous?

A. No. Turbines have serious technical problems only in very rare cases. Improving technology and constant 24 hour monitoring means that any problems are generally corrected by minor maintenance at regular intervals. For example, normal farming can continue under the turbines.

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Q. Will T.V. reception be affected?

A. Definitely not for cable or satellite subscribers. For dwellings with traditional T.V. antennae, it cannot be predicted accurately if there will be problems. However, there is a chance that there will be some interference with T.V. reception. We have agreed procedures with RTÉ to establish procedures to investigate any complaints of interference and correct them if it is shown that the windfarm is responsible.

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Q. Won't my property value be adversely affected by the windfarm?

A. No. We maintain no, for two reasons. First, evidence in the U.K. and elsewhere suggests that while some values may drop initially, they recover again quickly as the windfarm becomes a familiar part of the landscape. Secondly, a real example in Dualla where houses in the second half of a development have sold out, at higher prices than the first half, after the proposed windfarm was publicised.

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Q. We just don't want the windfarm here, why can't they go somewhere else?

A. We acknowledge the degree of change that the proposed windfarm represents for Killhill and the genuinely felt concerns that some may have at this proposed development in the area. But wind energy is the only realistic way to generate significant amounts of green energy, and windfarms have to go somewhere. We maintain that Kilhill is very suitable in terms of the wind climate and all other factors, and the EIS demonstrates clearly why this site is entirely suitable for a windfarm.

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Q. How are our concerns being addressed?

A. A public information evening was held on 20th June 2006 in Dualla, from which we received feedback on the proposed Killhill Windfarm. Partly as a result of the comments received, a modified design of 19 turbines, in revised locations, will be used when we apply for planning permission. We would welcome your comments on the proposed windfarm. You can e-mail these to us by using the feedback page. We will consider all comments received as part of the ongoing design process. As part of preparing the planning application for Killhill Windfarm, a detailed Environmental Impact Statement is being prepared by specialist Consultants. The EIS addresses all aspects of the proposed development, and proposes mitigation measures where necessary, so as to minimise the impacts from the proposed development. Every care is being taken to be comprehensive in this process.

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Q. How can I find out more?