DRAFT Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise

Transcription

1 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 DRAFT Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise Guideline for Acoustic Assessment and Measurement Publication NPC-350 April 22, 2016

2 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise Guideline for Acoustic Assessment and Measurement The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change is committed to ensuring that its policies and protocols regarding wind facilities continue to reflect current science. Should new information come to light, we will review and amend our policies and protocols as required. All requirements relating to Renewable Energy Approval (REA) applications and renewable energy projects are contained in Part V.0.1 of the Environmental Protection Act and O. Reg. 359/09 which can be found at Ontario s e-laws website at or the official volumes printed by Publications Ontario for the authoritative text. Specific references to the Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms, Reference [5] as amended, are made throughout this protocol and readers are recommended to have access to a copy of the guideline itself to refer to the exact language when reading. Cette publication hautement spécialisée n est disponible qu en anglais en vertu du règlement 671/92, qui en exempte l application de la Loi sur les services en français. Pour obtenir de l aide en français, veuillez communiquer avec le ministère de l Environnement au Ministry of the Environment Public Information Centre: telephone: toll free: pic .moe@ontario.ca PIBS# 8540e Queen s Printer for Ontario. i.

3 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Table of Contents Table of Contents... iii PART A: GENERAL... 7 A1 References... 7 A2 Definitions... 8 A3 Purpose A4 Scope A 4.1 Qualitative Screening Process A 4.2 Quantitative Screening Process A 4.3 Detailed Acoustic Measurements A5 Background Sound Levels PART B: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT QUALITATIVE SCREENING B1 Purpose B2 Qualitative Screening B 2.1 Step 1 - Initial Screening B 2.2 Step 2 Site Visit and Interview B 2.3 Step 3 - Check for Distance Setback Reductions B 2.4 Step 4 - Check Predicted Noise Impact PART C: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT QUANTITATIVE SCREENING C1 Purpose C2 Attended Screening Measurements C 2.1 Sound Level Measuring Instrumentation C 2.2 Acoustic Calibrator C 2.3 Measurement Procedure C Receptor Location C Time of Measurements C Microphone Height C Microphone Position C Wind Speed Measurement Location C Acoustic Measurements C Extraneous Noise Sources C Duration of Measurement C Tonality (Tonal Assessment) C Background Sound Level C 2.4 Documentation C 2.5 Compliance with Limits C3 Acoustic Recording by Resident/Complainant C 3.1 Scope iii

4 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C 3.2 Overview C 3.3 Instrumentation C Acoustic Instrumentation C Narrowband Spectra Determination (Both Devices) C Acoustic calibrator C Wind screens C Anemometer C Calibration C Tamper Proof Case C External Trigger C 3.4 Measurement Procedure C Time of Measurements C Microphone height C Microphone Position C Anemometer Location C Anemometer Measurements C Acoustic Measurements C Supplementary Measurements C Number of Recording Intervals C Tonality (Tonal Assessment) C 3.5 Compliance C Turbines Not Audible C Turbines Audible C 3.6 Documentation PART D: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT DETAILED ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS D1 General D 1.1 Purpose D 1.2 Scope D 1.3 Overview D2 Instrumentation D 2.1 Acoustic Instrumentation D Sound Level Measurement D Narrowband Spectra Determination D Acoustic Calibrator D Wind Screens D Additional Measures D 2.2 Non-acoustic Instrumentation: Anemometers D 2.3 Calibration D3 Measurement Procedure D 3.1 Receptor Location D 3.2 Time of Measurements D 3.3 Microphone Location D Microphone Height D Microphone Position iv

5 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 D 3.4 Wind Measurement Location D 3.5 Acoustic Measurements D Acoustic Measurements with Turbines Operational D Acoustic Measurements with Turbines Parked D 3.6 Non-acoustic Measurements D 3.7 Supplementary Measurements / Data D 3.8 Number of Measurement Intervals D Overall Equivalent Sound Level Turbines Operational D Overall Equivalent Sound Level Turbines Parked D Tonality (Tonal Assessment) D4 Acoustic Audit Procedure D 4.1 Number of Measurement Locations D 4.2 Time of Measurements D5 Data Processing and Analysis D 5.1 General D 5.2 Data Reduction and Filtering D 5.3 Effects of Insects and Fauna D 5.4 Determination of Turbine Sound Level D 5.5 Data Analysis D 5.6 Tonal Assessment D6 Assessment of Compliance D7 Documentation PART E: E & I AUDITS - COMPLIANCE EVALUATION E1 Purpose E2 Review Processes for Wind Turbine Acoustic Audits E 2.1 Complete E Audits Options 1 and E 2.2 Incomplete E - Audits E 2.3 Incomplete I Audits E3 E - Audit Review Processes E 3.1 Complete Submission E Option 1: Re-modelling E Option 2: I Audit or RAM I - Audit E Sound Levels that are Acceptable to the Ministry E Sound Levels that do not Meet the Ministry s Sound Level Limits E Notes on Compliance E 3.2 Incomplete E Audit Submission E Deviations from the Standard E Missing Information E4 E Audit Flow Charts E5 I - Audit Review Process E 5.1 Complete Submissions E Notes on Compliance v

6 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 E 5.2 Incomplete Submissions E 5.3 Option 1: Combine Audit Results E 5.4 Option 2: Analysis Parameters for the RAM I - Audit E RAM I Audit Reporting Requirements E Notes on Compliance E6 I Audit Flow Chart PART F: APPENDICES F1 Appendix 1: Noise Complaint Form F2 Appendix 2: Overview of the Qualitative Assessment F3 Appendix 3: Sample Rationale Summary for Measurement Locations F4 Appendix 4: Sample Summary of Resident Triggered Measurements F5 Appendix 5: E Audit Checklist F6 Appendix 6: I Audit Checklist Table of Figures FIGURE 1 : E - AUDIT OVERVIEW (OPTIONS 1 & 2): PROCESS FLOW CHART FIGURE 2 : E - AUDIT OPTION 1: PROCESS FLOW CHART FIGURE 3 : E - AUDIT OPTION 2: PROCESS FLOW CHART FIGURE 4 : I - AUDIT: PROCESS FLOW CHART vi

7 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 PART A: GENERAL A1 References The following publications are referenced in this document: [1] CAN/CSA-C , Wind Turbine Generator Systems Part 11: Acoustic Noise Measurement Techniques. [2] ISO , "Acoustics - Description, assessment and measurement of environmental noise - Part 2: Determination of environmental noise levels" [3] ISO , Acoustics Attenuation of Sound During Propagation Outdoors, Part 2: General Method of Calculation. [4] Model Municipal Noise Control By-Law - Final Report, August 1978, Ontario Ministry of the Environment. [5] Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms Interpretation for Applying MOE NPC Publications to Wind Power Generating Facilities - October 2008 as amended. [6] Publication NPC Technical Definitions (part of Reference [4]). [7] Publication NPC Instrumentation (part of Reference [4]); Note where a conflict exists within NPC-102 and this document, the specific references within this document take precedence. [8] Publication NPC Procedures (part of Reference [4]). [9] Publication NPC Sound Level Adjustments (part of Reference [4]). [10] Compliance Policy Applying Abatement and Enforcement Tools, May 2007, PIBS #6248, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, as amended. [11] CAN/CSA-IEC :13, Wind Turbines Part 11: Acoustic Noise Measurement Techniques, Canadian Standards Association. [12] IEC (2002), Electroacoustics Sound Level Meters, Part 1 Specifications. [13] IEC 60942: 2003, Electroacoustics - Sound Calibrators. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 7

8 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 A2 Definitions For the purposes of this document, the following definitions apply: 1) Abatement means voluntary or mandatory actions taken to achieve compliance. It includes action by Ministry staff such as education and outreach, warnings and issuance of orders. 2) Acoustic Assessment Report means the report submitted in support of the Approval, (and usually referenced in the Approval), that demonstrates through acoustic modelling the subject wind facility is in compliance with the applicable noise limits defined in the Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms, Reference [5]. 3) "Acoustic Audit - Emission (E - Audit) means an investigative procedure that is compliant with the Standard CAN/CSA-C , Reference [1], or at the Director s discretion, compliant with another equivalent standard such as, but not limited to, the CAN/CSA-IEC :13, Reference [11]. It consists of measurements in close proximity to wind turbine generators. The audit is used to determine compliance with the manufacturer's equipment specifications, (acoustic), and emission data for wind turbine generators included in the Acoustic Assessment Report. 4) "Acoustic Audit - Immission (I Audit) means an investigative procedure consisting of measurements and/or acoustic modelling of noise emissions due to the operation of the wind facility at designated measurement / receptor locations. The audit is used with the noise limits in Part D of this document to determine compliance of a wind facility. 5) Acoustic Audits means E - Audits and/or I - Audits. 6) Ambient sound level means Background sound level. 7) Approval means a Certificate of Approval issued under section 9 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), a Renewable Energy Approval (REA) issued under section 47.5 of the EPA, or an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) issued under Part II.1 of the EPA. 8) A-weighting means the frequency weighting characteristic as specified in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard Reference [12]., and intended to approximate the relative sensitivity of the normal human ear to different frequencies (pitches) of sound. It is denoted as A. 9) A-weighted sound pressure level means the Sound Pressure Level modified by application of an A-weighting network. It is measured in decibels, A-weighted, and denoted dba. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 8

9 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC ) Background sound level means the sound level that is present in the environment, produced by noise sources other than the source under impact assessment. The background sound level is typically caused by sounds from nature for receptors removed from urban areas, or by road traffic for receptors in urban/suburban areas. Highly intrusive short duration noise caused by a source such as an aircraft fly-over or a train pass-by (including light rail transit, subways and streetcars) is normally excluded from the determination of the background sound level. 11) Binning means the processing of measured sound level data by arranging the accumulated data in bins representing integer wind speeds, ± 0.5 m/s. Each bin is centered on the integer speed and spans 1 m/s. 12) Class 1 Area means an area with an acoustical environment typical of a major population centre, where the Background sound level is dominated by the activities of people, usually road traffic, often referred to as Urban Hum. 13) Class 2 Area means an area with an acoustical environment that has qualities representative of both Class 1 and Class 3 Areas: i. sound levels characteristic of Class 1 during daytime (07:00 to 19:00 or to 23:00 hours); ii. low evening and night Background sound level defined by natural environment and infrequent human activity starting as early as 19:00 hours (19:00 or 23:00 to 07:00 hours). 14) Class 3 Area means a rural area with an acoustical environment that is dominated by natural sounds having little or no road traffic, such as the following: i. a small community with less than 1000 population; ii. agricultural area; iii. a rural recreational area such as a cottage or a resort area; or iv. a wilderness area. 15) Complete E - Audit means an audit report for a wind turbine based on the measurement protocol defined in: i. Reference [1], and conducted at the standardized wind speeds of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 m/s, or ii. Reference [11] or at the Director s discretion, compliant with another equivalent standard; and supported by an acceptable independent acoustic test report from a third party that accounts for the wind speeds between 6 10 m/s that were not addressed in Reference [11] or the approved equivalent standard audit report. As noted in References [1] and [11], measurements of sound pressure levels and wind speeds are to be made simultaneously over short periods of time ; (i.e. one season). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 9

10 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC ) dba means the A-weighted sound pressure level. 17) Decibel means a dimensionless measure of Sound Level or Sound Pressure Level, denoted as db. 18) Director means a person appointed by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change pursuant to section 5 of the EPA as a Director for the purposes of section 47.5 of the EPA. 19) District Manager means the District Manager of the appropriate local district office of the Ministry where the wind facility is geographically located. 20) Equivalent Sound Level, Leq (T) means the A-weighted sound pressure level of a steady sound carrying the same total energy in the time period T as the observed fluctuating sound. The time period T is given in hours. Leq without a specific time period means one hour Leq (1). 21) Exclusion limit means the lowest value of the sound level limit at a specific Point of Reception for the stationary source, i.e., the sound level limit when the Background sound level is below this limit. 22) Ministry means the ministry of the government of Ontario responsible for the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and includes all officials, employees or other persons acting on its behalf. 23) "Noise Abatement Action Plan" or NAAP means the noise abatement program developed by the owner/operator of the wind facility to achieve compliance with the sound level limits set out in section D6 of this document. 24) Noise means unwanted sound. 25) Non-compliance is a state achieved when a person, who is bound by legal provision(s), does not act in accordance with the legal provision(s). 26) Participating Receptor has the same meaning as in the Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms and is subject to the same qualifications described in that document, Reference [5]. 27) Point of Reception has the same meaning as in the Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms and is subject to the same qualifications described in that document, Reference [5]. 28) Qualified acoustical practitioner or Practitioner means a person trained and currently active in the field of environmental acoustics and noise/vibration control who is familiar with the Ministry procedures and has a combination of formal university education, training and experience necessary to perform the wind turbine noise measurements. The qualified acoustical practitioner should preferably be a Professional Engineer. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 10

11 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC ) RAM I Audit means an I Audit conducted in accordance section E 5.4 of this document. 30) Receptor means a Point of Reception or a Participating Receptor. 31) Setback means the horizontal distance (plan-view) in metres separating the wind turbine coordinates and the coordinates of a Receptor. 32) Sound level means the A-weighted Sound Pressure Level. 33) Sound level limit means the limiting value described in terms of the one-hour Equivalent Sound Level, L eq. 34) Sound power level means the rating that, is given to a wind turbine by the manufacturer of the wind turbine, calculated in accordance with standard CAN/CSA-C , Wind Turbine Generator Systems Part 11: Acoustic Noise Measurement Techniques. In this document, the level may also refer to the value associated with a wind turbine at its origin, (fixed/stationary location). 35) Sound pressure means the instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given location. The unit of measurement is the micro Pascal (µpa). 36) Sound pressure level means twenty times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the effective pressure (µpa) of a sound to the reference pressure of 20 µpa. It is a value associated with a distance from a stationary noise source, (wind turbine or transformer sub-station). In this document, the value may also refer to the sound received from a wind turbine at a measurement location. 37) Tonality means a pronounced audible tonal quality of the sound such as a whine, screech, buzz or hum. 38) Urban Hum means aggregate sound of many unidentifiable noise sources due to the activities of people and primarily composed of road traffic related sound sources. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 11

12 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 A3 Purpose The document is comprised of the following five parts: Part A provides a general overview, including the definitions and references used in the document. Part B provides guidance to Ministry staff when investigating complaints concerning noise due to the operation of a wind turbine generator or a wind facility. The intent is to provide Ministry staff the technical tools to determine if the noise complaints require additional investigation in the form of acoustic screening measurements as detailed in Part C of this document. Part C provides guidance to Ministry staff and Qualified acoustic practitioners to perform acoustic screening measurements to determine if a complaint warrants a detailed acoustic measurement assessment (I-Audit) as detailed in Part D of this document. Part D provides guidance to Qualified acoustic practitioners that undertake detailed acoustic audits or complaint investigations of wind facilities (I Audits). This part of the document will be used to confirm compliance with Ministry Sound level limits in section D6 of this document. Part E provides direction to Qualified acoustic practitioners when assessing the results of E - Audits and I Audits, against the applicable sound level limits. The guidance will allow Qualified acoustic practitioners to determine if the measured values are acceptable. A4 Scope The scope of the document aims to encompass the pertinent aspects of noise complaints, Approval audits and compliance assessments resulting from the operation of wind facilities. This involves a range of issues including turbine locations and distances, compliance with conditions of the Ministry Approvals, screening of complaints and detailed measurements of the wind facilities sound levels. The procedures included in this document primarily relate to large modern commercial/industrial wind facilities with rated electrical power in the megawatt (MW) range (i.e. Class 4 wind turbines as classified under Ontario Regulation 359/09), and the focus is mainly on receptors in Class 3 areas. However, some of the information may also be applicable to smaller wind turbines, namely Class 2 and 3 wind turbines (as classified under Ontario Regulation 359/09), and the installation of wind facilities in urban areas. Sound from wind turbines that satisfy the applicable Sound level limits may be audible and result in complaints. This document will address complaints of this nature. However, wind turbine noise in the infrasound or ultrasound ranges (i.e. outside the normal audio range), transformer substation noise, and other issues such as Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 12

13 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 shadow flicker or health effects are beyond the scope of this document. A 4.1 Qualitative Screening Process The initial screening is a qualitative assessment to focus on compliance issues related to conditions and parameters used in the Approval process. Based on the results from the qualitative screening, a decision can be made whether to perform quantitative screening, (Part C of document), or carry out detailed acoustic measurements, (Part D of document), at the site of the complainant. In some cases, based on any screening result in this protocol, the wind facility operator may decide to voluntarily undertake actions to reduce the noise impact. A 4.2 Quantitative Screening Process The quantitative screening involves short-term attended acoustic measurements and/or acoustic recording at the complaint receptor to determine if detailed acoustic measurement is required to assess compliance with noise limits in Reference [5]. A 4.3 Detailed Acoustic Measurements The detailed acoustic measurement procedure is intended to determine the sound levels produced by the operation of a wind facility at a Receptor / measurement location, at all applicable wind speeds to assess compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits. A5 Background Sound Levels Unlike most industrial or commercial noise sources, the sound immissions from wind turbines occur during wind conditions that typically induce significant levels of background noise due to the wind itself. The Background sound levels during conditions when the wind turbines are in operation near its rated generating capacity are comparable to the sound levels emitted by the wind turbines themselves. Consequently, determination of compliance is challenging and it is necessary to have an accurate account of the contribution from each source, (wind and wind facility). An additional challenge is that conventional acoustic instrumentation, normally used for the measurement of industrial noise sources, is prone to produce erroneous signals due to the interaction of wind blowing over the microphone (including a windscreen), particularly at winds speeds at 4 m/s and higher. Consequently, in order to accurately measure the sound levels due to wind turbines alone, a specialized technique is necessary, (Part D of this document). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 13

14 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 PART B: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT QUALITATIVE SCREENING B1 Purpose The qualitative screening is the initial step in the assessment of a wind turbine or wind facility, noise complaint. It does not require detailed calculations or sophisticated measurements and uses conservative assumptions regarding the noise impact of a wind facility. The qualitative screening assists in evaluating the complaint with respect to specific parameters used in the Approval. Following this initial screening, and if required, further qualitative screening may be performed. B2 Qualitative Screening The following steps are recommended to be performed in sequence but can also be performed in parallel. B 2.1 Step 1 - Initial Screening Determine the current setback from the receptor to the closest wind turbine. A receptor located within 1,500 m of a Class 4 wind turbine may be considered to be potentially in a noise area ranging from about 30 dba and greater depending on the distance and number of turbines (within approximately 3 kilometers (km) of the receptor). Outside this 1,500 m distance any detectable sound levels from land based wind turbines will not exceed the Ministry s sound level limits. Therefore, further noise assessment would not be practical or necessary and this should be communicated to the complainant. Alternatively, if the closest wind turbine is within the 1,500 m zone then proceed to Step 2 (B 2.2). B 2.2 Step 2 Site Visit and Interview If the closest wind turbine is within the 1,500 m zone, then obtain a full description of the nature of complaint including specific details about the noise from the complainant. The purpose is to identify from the complainant specific details about the noise issue that would assist in determining further action. A set of open-ended questions are included in the sample form in section F1 of this document. Take note from site observations of any other noise sources within the complainant s property and in the immediate vicinity (i.e. dryers, coolers, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 14

15 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 fans, generators, etc.). Also, take note of any unusual features such as trees, shrubbery, water features, hills, ancillary buildings, etc. The purpose of the site visit and interview is to identify noise sources and features that will have an impact on the background noise and possibly on acoustic measurements, if needed. Examine the wind facility to ensure that the constructed facility is consistent with the Approval. For example, were the blades of the wind turbines modified by installation of vortex generators, dyno-tails, etc., such that the aerodynamics of the blades are no longer consistent with the Approval. Determine the actual setback distance to the closest wind turbine(s) and proceed to Step 3, (B 2.3) B 2.3 Step 3 - Check for Distance Setback Reductions Verify the locations of all wind turbines up to 1,500 m surrounding the property of the complaint site in order to determine if there has been a change in the layout of the wind facility as compared to the layout that was approved. Note: Any significant discrepancies with respect to the Ministry s Approval will require the owner/operator to apply for an amendment to the Ministry s Approval, and may result in Abatement or enforcement action if warranted. If it is found that the discrepancy in some wind turbine locations, (within the 1,500 m radius), resulted in setbacks from the complaint receptor reduced by more than 4 %from the approved layout then the change will be considered as a major project design change. If the Approval specifies a lower tolerance value, (i.e. 2 % or 10 m), this value is applicable in the distance setback reduction assessment. Note: Technically, a reduction in setback due to the closest wind turbine of 4% can result in an increase in sound level at the receptor of 0.35 db. Although such an increase is not perceptible, it may result in an excess over the Sound level limit at that location. In this case, the assessment needs to be verified using the as-built layout affecting the complainant s location and using the prediction model specified in the Approval. Specifically, the parameters to be used must reflect the worst-case noise impact by assuming the maximum acoustic immissions from the turbines against the lowest applicable sound level limit. If the modelling calculations determine a level greater than the sound level limit, the owner/operator of the wind facility may be required to implement appropriate noise abatement measures to achieve compliance with the Sound level limits or follow the guidance in Part E of this document. However, further assessment may not be required if the owner of the wind turbine is Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 15

16 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 prepared to voluntarily reduce the Sound levels. If the reductions of setback distances are not greater than 4% then proceed to Step 4, (B 2.4). If the Approval specifies a lower tolerance value, (i.e. 2 % or 10 m), this value is applicable in the distance setback reduction assessment. Refer to Appendix F2 for a summary of the procedure and a partial sample assessment. B 2.4 Step 4 - Check Predicted Noise Impact Check the calculated Sound level corresponding to the receptor included in the Acoustic Assessment Report for the wind facility. If the results indicate compliance within a margin of at least 5 db below the limit, (i.e. 35 dba or lower), further assessment at this site would be at the discretion of Ministry staff. However, if the predicted level is less than 5 db from the limit (i.e. above 35 dba), then further assessment at the complaint location would be warranted; proceed to Part C, Complaint Assessment - Quantitative Screening or, alternatively, Part D, Complaint Assessment Detailed Acoustic Measurements. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 16

17 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 PART C: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT QUANTITATIVE SCREENING C1 Purpose The quantitative screening process was designed to provide additional information to that obtained in the initial qualitative screening process. The quantitative screening involves use of instrumentation to obtain sound measurements. The purpose of the quantitative screening process is to determine the need for further action in evaluating the complaint resulting from wind turbine or wind facility noise. Detailed long- term acoustic measurements at the site of the complaint may be appropriate as a result of the quantitative screening. This process is also applicable to wind facilities that were or are required to submit an E and/or I Audit as a condition in their Approval or any other instrument under Ministry legislation. (Valid complaints will be investigated, even if the subject facilities have demonstrated or are required to demonstrate compliance via an E and/or I audit.) In the case of several significant, excesses above the Approval Sound level limits, there may not be a need or justification for a Detailed Acoustic Audit to be completed for district staff to determine that non-compliance is occurring. The excess must only represent the wind facility s sound levels, not the total noise, (e.g. the Background sound level must be logarithmically subtracted from the measurements.) In the context of this measurement campaign, the Ministry will not assign a decibel value to significant. If applicable, the value will be determined on a case by case basis. C2 Attended Screening Measurements The measurement of Sound levels at Points of Reception located at significant distances from the turbines require special instrumentation, specific testing conditions, and careful analysis of the data. The objective is to determine the wind turbine s or wind facility s, Equivalent Sound Level at a Point of Reception. It is recommended that the attended screening measurements be carried out at times when the Background sound level is very low. To the extent possible, the measurements should be performed at times when wind turbines operate near maximum output capacity (85 % or greater) while wind speeds at ground elevation (height of 4.5 m or less) are low, optimally not exceeding 3 m/s with a 4 m/s maximum. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 17

18 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C 2.1 Sound Level Measuring Instrumentation The sound level measuring instrumentation consists of the following: Integrating sound level meter, Acoustic calibrator, and Wind screen and cables The sound level measuring instrumentation needs to meet the following requirements: Sound level meter specifications according to the IEC standard Sound Level Meters, Part 1: Specifications, Reference [12]. Class 1 or Class 2 microphone systems see the Note below for explanation. The instrumentation having a constant frequency response between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Note: Should a Class 2 rather than a Class 1 microphone systems be used, it is recommended that the noise floor of the microphone be below 25 dba. C 2.2 Acoustic Calibrator The complete sound measurement system, including any recording, data logging or computing systems, shall be calibrated immediately before and after the measurement session at one or more frequencies using an acoustic calibrator on the microphone. The acoustic calibrator shall have an accuracy equal to or better than ±0.3 db and fulfill the requirements of Class 1 according to IEC Reference [13], in the temperature range where it is used. C 2.3 Measurement Procedure C Receptor Location Measurements for the purposes of complaint assessment should be performed at a Point of Reception. (It should be noted that, a measurement location at a two-storey building will be closer to the wind turbine than the modeled location which is at the centre of dwelling.) Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 18

19 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C Time of Measurements The noise measurements associated with the complaint assessment should be mindful of the complaint character. In addition, the measurements should consider predictable worst case parameters such as high wind shear and the downwind conditions from the closest wind turbine to the measurement location. It is recommended that the measurements be performed during lowest background noise conditions. This period of time is normally in the late evening or nighttime. C Microphone Height The measurement position at a given receptor is outside the identified receptor dwelling and at a height of 1.5 m for single storey dwellings or 4.5 m for two- storey dwellings. Preferably, the measurement height should be consistent with the receptor height modelled for Approval purposes. C Microphone Position Appropriate judgment is expected to be used when positioning the microphone. Some general guidance is given below: The microphone position shall be sufficiently away from any large reflecting surfaces (minimum of 5 m recommended). This requirement does not apply if using a small vertical reflecting board attached to the building façade. The microphone should be located at a point near the receptor dwelling that is not shielded from the closest wind turbine noise, (or wind facility). Wherever possible, the microphone should not be located near deciduous trees or foliage that may affect the noise. C Wind Speed Measurement Location The wind speed measurement position should be in the vicinity of the noise measurement position, (within 5 m), at a height of 10 m above ground. The measurement position should represent an open area where the wind is not shielded by nearby buildings or objects. The wind speed measurement should also be performed at the microphone height to comply with the maximum wind speed requirement specified in section C Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 19

20 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Wind speed measurements should be carried out at the same time as the noise measurements. C Acoustic Measurements The objective of the measurements is to determine the overall Equivalent Sound Level Leq when the turbines are operational under the following conditions: The optimum range of wind speeds at the microphone location is up to 3 m/s. The maximum wind speed at the microphone location does not exceed 4 m/s. If 4 m/s is exceeded then logarithmic subtraction is to be used to account for any wind induced sound in the measurements. C Extraneous Noise Sources Measurement are to be inhibited when the sound level is affected by noise from extraneous sources such as vehicle noise, dogs barking and wind gusts, i.e. other than wind turbines. The same result can also be achieved by digitally recording the sound level time history and later editing out the extraneous events and recalculating the descriptors such as L eq. This should address measurement situations where extraneous sounds were not inhibited. C Duration of Measurement Noise measurements need to be performed over a minimum period of one hour. The actual accumulated time of the measured Leq needs to be at least 20 minutes. This should represent the worst case Equivalent Sound Level Leq during the one hour period, following the inhibition of the measurements due to extraneous sources. C Tonality (Tonal Assessment) Should a tone be clearly audible and constant, a quantitative determination of tonality may be required and in such a case a 1/3 rd octave band frequency analysis of the turbine, (or wind facility), noise needs to be performed. The tonality assessment should be conducted in accordance with the procedure in Reference [1] or at the Director s discretion compliant with another equivalent standard. The tonality adjustment should be conducted in accordance with the procedure described in Annex C Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 20

21 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 of the International Standard ISO , Reference [2]. C Background Sound Level This procedure is based on the measurement of the overall Equivalent Sound Level Leq and does not in principle require a separate measurement of the Background sound level. Nevertheless, knowledge of the Background sound level would be useful. If possible and if conditions allow, the Background sound level should be determined. Note that the Background sound level does not include the contribution from the wind turbine noise. Where appropriate, the Background sound level should be measured using the same instrumentation and for the same duration as the overall Sound level described in this section. The Background sound level is subtracted on an energy basis, (logarithmically) from the overall level to determine the Equivalent Sound Level of the wind facility. C 2.4 Documentation The following information should be reported: 1. Conditions during the measurement, including but not limited to: time and dates of the measurement, temperature and humidity, weather conditions, range of wind speeds encountered, wind direction, and confirmation that the wind turbines were operating 2. Statement about whether tonality was observed. 3. Results of measurements in terms of the Equivalent Sound Level Leq. 4. Diagram/drawing showing the location of instrumentation, location of buildings and other local features, and location of turbines. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 21

22 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C 2.5 Compliance with Limits The Leq results of the attended measurements obtained during this screening process should be compared with the applicable limits contained in Reference [5] and given in the table below: Standardized Wind Speed at 10 m Height, m/s Sound Level Limit dba < Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 22

23 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C3 Acoustic Recording by Resident/Complainant As mentioned earlier, the following procedure is a screening tool used to determine if a detailed audit as per Part D of this document is required. This procedure should indicate the potential for compliance or non-compliance at times when the resident finds the operation of a wind facility to be objectionable and when Ministry staff cannot attend the site. C 3.1 Scope The method of measurement described in this section provides information on instrumentation requirement, measurement procedure, data analysis and documentation related to the measurement and recording of the wind turbine, or wind facility, noise performed by the resident of the home where complainant originated. The measurement and analysis procedure applies to sound in the audible frequency range, (20 Hz to approximately 20,000 Hz), and include the measurement of the Equivalent Sound Level, Leq, at a receptor. C 3.2 Overview A resident via a remotely operated tamper proof recording device initiates this acoustic screening measurement. The approach may be utilized when it is not possible for Ministry staff to make attended observations or measurements at a resident s home during periods when a resident deems wind turbine or wind facility noise disturbing. The procedure involves installing a sound recording system/device at a resident s home to collect a minimum of twelve (12) high quality, 10 minute sound recordings, of the offending noise at the exact time of the occurrence. (Refer to section C for more details.) The recording equipment must have the capability of being activated by a resident at any time from inside the resident s home. It must automatically perform a recording of set duration (10 minutes), and stores the audio recording along with the date and time of the recording. The recordings will be analyzed off site. The offsite analysis will also require operational information of the wind facility such as turbine power output, wind speed, and wind direction. In addition, it will require details of atmospheric conditions at the resident s home. If the analysis indicates that wind turbine noise is audible and that the majority of the 10 minute Leq s indicate that the wind facility sound levels exceed the applicable limits, additional assessment would be warranted. This additional work may consist of one or combination of the following: Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 23

24 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Additional acoustic recordings at the resident s location; Attended screening measurements in accordance with section C2; or Detailed acoustic measurements in accordance with Part D. C 3.3 Instrumentation C Acoustic Instrumentation The instrumentation is intended for short term attended noise measurements, typically seven to eight days. The recording device can be composed of either a digital recorder or a sound level meter capable of recording sound files and Leq simultaneously. The minimum requirements of both devices and the peripheral equipment are noted below: Device 1: Digital Recorder 1. Class 1 or Class 2 microphone systems see Note 2 below for explanation. 2. Ability to be triggered by a resident inside the residence. 3. The instrumentation having a constant frequency response over 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. 4. The filters meeting the requirements of IEC for Class 1 filters. 5. Ability to record a 10 minute digital audio waveform file ( wav file or equivalent non compressed digital formats) at a sampling rate of at least 8,000 Hz. The minimum sampling resolution should be at least 16 bit. Note 1: A wav file is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bit stream on a personal computer. 6. In addition to the requirements above, appropriate software is also required to: determine the 10 minute Leq from the 10 minute sample, and analyse the files in 1/3 rd octaves, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 24

25 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Note 2: Given the long term and outdoor nature of the measurements, along with special wind screen requirements (outlined below), and with the understanding that Class 1 microphone systems are designed for indoor lab settings, some Class 2 microphone systems may be used. It is noted that the Class 2 microphone may not strictly meet the requirements outlined in this section; however, the appropriateness of Class 2 microphones was demonstrated during field-testing. If Class 2 microphone systems are used, caution is advised to ensure that: Noise floor of the microphones is below 25 dba. Frequency range is suitable between at least 20 Hz to 8,000 Hz, where microphone response is effectively flat. Device 2: Sound Level Meter The sound level meter needs to meet the following requirements: 1. Type 1 sound level meter according to the IEC standard Sound Level Meters, Part 1: Specifications, Reference [12]. 2. Class 1 or Class 2 microphone systems Refer to Note 2 under Device 1 above for additional details. 3. The instrumentation having a constant frequency response over the 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range. 4. The filters meeting the requirements of IEC for Class 1 filters. 5. The instrumentation being capable of measuring audio recordings continuously during the measurement campaign, at a sampling rate of at least 8,000 Hz. The minimum sampling resolution should be at least 16 bit. C Narrowband Spectra Determination (Both Devices) This equipment shall fulfill the relevant requirements for IEC Reference [12], over the frequency range of 20 Hz to Hz. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 25

26 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C Acoustic calibrator The complete sound measurement system, including any recording, data logging or computing systems, shall be calibrated immediately before and after the measurement session at one or more frequencies using an acoustic calibrator on the microphone. The acoustic calibrator shall have an accuracy equal to or better than ±0.3dB and fulfill the requirements of Class 1 according to IEC 60942, Reference [13], and shall be used within its specified environmental conditions. C Wind screens For the measurement of wind turbine sound immission, it is recommended that a primary wind screen be used which consists of open cell foam with a diameter of approximately 90 mm centered on the diaphragm of the microphone. It is further recommended that a larger diameter secondary wind screen (approximately 450 mm) be used to reduce the noise from wind blowing over the microphone. The specifications of the secondary wind screen are indicated in IEC , References [1] and [11] as follows:...could, consist of a wire frame of approximate spherical shape, at least 450 mm in diameter, covered with a 13 mm to 25 mm layer of open cell foam with a porosity of 4 to 8 pores per 10 mm. This secondary spherical windscreen shall be placed symmetrically over the smaller primary windscreen. C Anemometer The anemometer and its signal processing equipment shall have a maximum deviation from the calibration value of ±0.2 m/s in the wind speed range from 4 m/s to 12 m/s. The anemometer itself shall have accuracy equal to or better than ±0.5 m/s at 10m/s and an output resolution of ±0.2 m/s or less. Wind direction should be measured within 5 degrees. The data should be averaged over at least a 5 to 10-minute period. C Calibration All the relevant equipment must have calibration traceable to an accredited laboratory. The maximum time from the last calibration shall be as stated by the manufacturer for each item of equipment. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 26

27 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C Tamper Proof Case The device shall be secured within a tamper proof case preferably within the resident s dwelling. With the exception of the device s external triggering component, the resident should not have access to the controls of the recording device. It is noted that microphone extension cable, microphone and external power supply may all protrude out of the tamper proof case. C External Trigger The device should be capable of starting a 10 minute digital recording when activated via an external trigger. C 3.4 Measurement Procedure C Time of Measurements Measurements are to be taken at the discretion of the resident. C Microphone height The measurement position at a given receptor is outside the identified receptor dwelling and at a height of 1.5 m for single storey dwellings or 4.5 m for two-storey dwellings. Preferably, the measurement height should be consistent with the receptor height modelled for Approval purposes. C Microphone Position Appropriate judgement is expected to be used when positioning the microphone. Some general guidance is given below: The microphone position shall be sufficiently away from any large reflecting surfaces (at least 5 m). The microphone should be located at a point near the receptor dwelling that is not shielded from the wind turbine noise. Wherever possible the microphone should not be located near trees or foliage, which may dominate the noise environment. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 27

28 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C Anemometer Location The wind measurement position should be in the vicinity (within 5 m) of the noise measurement position, at the same height as the microphone. The wind measurement position should represent an open area where the wind is not shielded by nearby buildings or objects. C Anemometer Measurements Wind speed and direction measurements are carried out simultaneously and synchronously with the noise measurements. For each ten (10) minute interval, the average wind speed, and wind direction should be recorded. C Acoustic Measurements Sound recordings are initiated with the device s external triggering component at the discretion of the resident. The audio sample is recommended to be recorded with a sampling rate of 8,000 Hz (not compressed). The minimum sampling resolution should be at least 16 bit. C Supplementary Measurements For the time frame of assessment, (days/nights when recordings were activated by a resident), the wind facility operator must provide a detailed summary of the wind facility s operation. This information will include as a minimum: 1. identification of the closest wind turbine to the resident, 2. output power generation of relevant turbines (turbines with predicted sound immissions greater than 30 dba at the resident s home), 3. wind speed and direction data at hub heights of all wind turbines within 1,500 metres of the receptor, 4. The analysis of these recordings will consist of aural listening for identification of wind turbine noise relative to other background sources. Results will be used to identify segments of audible wind turbine sounds useful for possible data analysis of sound level (Aweighted Leq and L90 of segments or frequency analysis (for tonality). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 28

29 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 C Number of Recording Intervals The resident will be requested to record at least: a. nine (9) 10-minute recordings of instances when sound from the wind facility is considered disturbing, and b. Three (3) 10-minute recordings of instances when sound from the wind facility is not considered disturbing. C Tonality (Tonal Assessment) Should a tone be clearly audible, a 1/3 rd octave band frequency analysis of the turbine noise must be performed. The tonality assessment should be conducted in accordance with the procedure in Reference [1] or at the Director s discretion compliant with another equivalent standard. The tonality adjustment should be made in accordance with the procedure described in the international standard ISO , Reference [2]. C 3.5 Compliance C Turbines Not Audible If the wind turbine(s) or wind facility is not audible in any of the recordings, then additional analysis is not required. The recordings have indicated that wind facility noise is in compliance with the limits noted in the Approval. C Turbines Audible If the wind turbine(s) or wind facility is audible in a recording that does not include extraneous noise sources, then the following additional analysis is required for the subject recording: 1. Determine the value of the 10 minute Leq via software or obtain it directly from the recording device. If applicable, the transmission loss of the secondary wind screen in octave bands, should also be accounted for in the calculation of the 10 minute Leq. 2. If there is a concern determine if the wind turbine noise is tonal. 3. Obtain the average wind speed at the microphone height (1.5 or 4.5 m) over the 10-minute recording session. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 29

30 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC-350 Results of the 10 minute Leq, (including tonal penalty if applicable), are to be compared against the applicable Sound level limits contained in the Approval and shown in the following table: Standardized Wind Speed at 10 m Height, m/s Sound Level Limit dba < C 3.6 Documentation The following information should be reported, (Refer to Appendix F4 for details): 1. Conditions during the measurement, including but not limited to: time and dates of the measurement temperature and humidity range general weather conditions range of wind speeds range of wind directions 2. Confirmation that the wind turbine(s) at the facility were operating; 3. Statement concerning whether tonality was observed during the acoustic recordings. 4. Results of measurements in terms of the Equivalent Sound Level Leq. 5. If applicable, (turbines are audible in recordings), comparison of the wind facility s Leq values are to be made against the applicable Sound level limits in the Approval. A statement of whether the wind facility complies with those limits will also be required. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 30

31 2016 DRAFT: MOECC Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise NPC Diagram/drawing and pictures noting the location of instrumentation, location of buildings and other local features, and location of turbines. It is acknowledged that if the wind facility s L eq values exceed the Approval s limits, it does not necessarily imply the turbines are not in compliance; even if the turbines are audible; the excess could be due to the Background sound levels. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Version 7 Apr 22, 2016 Page 31

32 PART D: COMPLAINT ASSESSMENT DETAILED ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS D1 General Detailed acoustic measurements, (I- Audit) are normally carried out subsequent to a qualitative and / or quantitative screening, (Parts B and C of this document), that suggests that the turbine(s) may be out of compliance with Ministry Sound level limits. A detailed acoustic audit may also be a requirement of an Approval. D 1.1 Purpose This section establishes a detailed measurement procedure for long term acoustic measurements of wind turbine or wind facility noise. The objective of the detailed measurements is to determine the sound level produced by the operation of wind turbines, (or wind facility), at all applicable wind speeds for comparison with the Ministry Sound level limits. This measurement procedure also applies to acoustic audit measurements that may be required as a condition of an Approval or any other instrument under Ministry legislation. The Ministry may also require, at its own discretion, that specific measurements or assessment additional to those described herein be carried out. The measurements and analysis in this section should only be carried out by a Qualified acoustical practitioner or someone under the supervision of a Qualified acoustical practitioner. D 1.2 Scope The method of measurement described in this section provides information on instrumentation requirement, measurement procedure, data analysis and documentation. The method applies to a single turbine, or a group of turbines. It has been developed primarily for large modern commercial/industrial wind turbines with rated electrical power in the MW range; however, it may also be applicable to smaller turbines. It should be noted that typical sound power levels of large modern commercial/industrial wind turbines are in the range of dba. The measurement and analysis procedure applies to sound in the audible frequency range (20 Hz to 20,000 Hz) and is based on the measurement of the A-weighted Equivalent sound level, L eq, at a Receptor. The application of this procedure is recommended for Receptors located at a distance up to approximately 1,500 m from the nearest turbine. This distance Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 32

33 recommendation is only approximate; for example, it may be further limited by the local ambient sound levels. D 1.3 Overview The principle of the procedure is to measure the overall Equivalent sound level (L eq, dba) at a Point of Reception at times when the relevant turbines are operational and when they are not operational (i.e. parked ). In both cases, the measurements are made by logging the Equivalent sound level Leq in one-minute intervals along with 1/3 rd octave band spectra within the 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range. Additionally, audio recordings of each interval are recorded for the purposes of post measurement listening and source verification. It is recommended that a minimum of 120 one-minute intervals when the turbines are operational be measured for each integer wind speed. The ambient noise measurements are carried out with turbines in the vicinity of the Point of Reception parked. The parked turbines are those that, if operating, would contribute or would likely contribute to the ambient Equivalent sound level. In general, every effort should be made to park all of the turbines that would cause the cumulative predicted contribution at the receptor to rise above 30 dba. It is recommended that a minimum of 60 oneminute intervals be measured for each integer wind speed when the turbines are parked. If the wind direction at the measurement location has the potential to influence (30 dba or greater) the ambient measurements, then if appropriate the measurements should be filtered accordingly. (For example if a distant roadway influences the ambient measurements, the Practitioner will need to excise judgment with respect to filtering wind direction during the ambient measurements.) Following the determination of the overall Leq and the ambient L eq at all applicable wind speeds and conditions, the ambient Leq is logarithmically subtracted from the overall Leq to determine the L eq produced by the wind facility. Wind speed and direction measurements are carried out simultaneously and synchronously with the sound measurements for each one-minute interval. D2 Instrumentation D 2.1 Acoustic Instrumentation The instrumentation is intended for long term, outdoor, unattended noise measurements. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 33

34 D Sound Level Measurement The sound level measuring instrumentation needs to meet the following requirements: Type 1 sound level meter according to the IEC standard Sound Level Meters, Part 1: Specifications; Reference [12]. Class 1 or Class 2 microphone systems see the Note below for explanation; The instrumentation having a constant frequency response over the 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range; The filters meeting the requirements of IEC for Class 1 filters; The instrumentation being capable of measuring audio recordings continuously during the measurement campaign, at sampling rate of at least 8,000 Hz; Note: Given the long term and outdoor nature of the measurements, along with special wind screen requirements, (outlined below), and with the understanding that Class 1 microphone systems are designed for indoor lab settings, some Class 2 microphone systems may be used. It is noted that the Class 2 microphone may not strictly meet the requirements outlined in this section; however, the appropriateness of Class 2 microphones was demonstrated during field-testing. If Class 2 microphone systems are used, practitioners are urged to use caution to ensure that: Noise floor of the microphones is below 25dBA, and Frequency range between at least 20 Hz to 8,000 Hz, where microphone response is effectively flat. Should the sound levels outside the range of such microphones be a concern, it is expected that that more sensitive microphones be employed in those circumstances. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 34

35 D Narrowband Spectra Determination This equipment shall fulfill the relevant requirements for IEC Reference [12], over the frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. D Acoustic Calibrator The complete sound measurement system, including any recording, data logging or computing systems, shall be calibrated immediately before and after the measurement session at one or more frequencies using an acoustic calibrator on the microphone. The acoustic calibrator shall have an accuracy equal to or better than ±0.3dB and fulfill the requirements of Class 1 according to IEC in the temperature range where it is used. D Wind Screens For the measurement of wind facility sound immission, it is recommended that a primary wind screen be used which consists of open cell foam with a diameter of approximately 90 mm centred on the diaphragm of the microphone. It is also recommended that a larger diameter secondary wind screen, (approximately 450 mm), be used to reduce the noise from wind blowing over the microphone. The specifications of the secondary wind screen are indicated in IEC as follows:...could, for example, consist of a wire frame of approximate spherical shape, at least 450 mm in diameter, covered with a 13 mm to 25 mm layer of open cell foam with a porosity of 4 to 8 pores per 10 mm. This secondary spherical windscreen shall be placed symmetrically over the smaller primary windscreen. D Additional Measures Although the use of the secondary windscreen is preferred, in an effort to increase the signal to noise ratio between the turbine noise and the ambient environment, Practitioners may use additional techniques such as more detailed analysis techniques making use of correlation, or vertical reflecting boards. The use of these boards shall adhere to the recommendations of the IEC standard, Reference [1]. If any of these additional measures are to be used, this should be disclosed and discussed with Ministry staff prior to conducting the measurements. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 35

36 D 2.2 Non-acoustic Instrumentation: Anemometers The anemometer and its signal processing equipment shall have a maximum deviation from the calibration value of ±0.2 m/s in the wind speed range from 4 m/s to 12 m/s. The anemometer itself shall have an accuracy equal to or better than ±0.2 m/s at 10m /s and an output resolution of ±0.1 m/s, or less. Wind direction should be measured within 5 degrees. This information may be required if a RAM I-Audit is undertaken. (Note: RAM I-Audits are discussed in section E 5.4) D 2.3 Calibration All of the relevant equipment must have calibrations traceable to an accredited laboratory. The maximum time from the last calibration shall be as stated for each item of equipment. D3 Measurement Procedure The Qualified acoustical practitioner has the choice of using the procedure as described below, or the procedure in section E 5.4 (RAM I Audit). D 3.1 Receptor Location Measurements for the purposes of complaint assessment should be performed at a Point of Reception. Note that acoustic audit measurements should be performed at varying locations, including Points of Reception. The number of measurement locations for an acoustic audit is expected to vary from site to site. Some general recommendations to establish a minimum number of locations are given in the acoustic audit section, (section D 4). D 3.2 Time of Measurements The Ministry sound level limits, contained in Reference [5], and associated modelling parameters were developed in the context of predictable worst case scenario. Consequently, the complaint assessment should be mindful of the predictable worst case parameters such as high wind shear and wind direction toward the receptor. Naturally, the complaint assessment needs to consider issues such as timeliness of the assessment and input of the complainant. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 36

37 D 3.3 Microphone Location D Microphone Height The measurement position at a given Receptor is outside the identified Receptor dwelling and at a height of 1.5 m for single storey dwellings or 4.5 m for two- storey dwellings. Preferably, the measurement height should be consistent with the Receptor height modelled for Approval purposes. D Microphone Position As each site may have its own constraints as to where the microphone may be placed, Qualified acoustical practitioners are expected to use appropriate judgement when locating the microphone. Some general guidance is outlined as follows: The microphone position shall be sufficiently away from any large reflecting surfaces, (minimum of 5 m recommended). This requirement does not apply if using a small vertical reflecting board attached to the building façade. The microphone should be located at a point near the receptor dwelling that is not shielded from the wind facility. Wherever possible the microphone should not be located near deciduous trees or foliage that may affect the sound measurements. D 3.4 Wind Measurement Location The wind measurement position should be in the vicinity, (within a minimum of 15 m), of the noise measurement position, at a height of 10 m above ground. The wind measurement position should represent an open area where the wind is not shielded by nearby buildings or objects. D 3.5 Acoustic Measurements The objective of the measurements is to determine the overall Equivalent sound level Leq when the relevant turbines are operational and the background Equivalent sound level Leq when the relevant turbines are parked. Following the determination of the overall Leq and the background Leq at all applicable wind speeds and conditions, the ambient L eq is subtracted on an energy basis, (logarithmically) from the overall Leq to determine the Leq produced by the wind turbines. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 37

38 Wind speed and direction measurements are carried out simultaneously and synchronously with the noise measurements for each one-minute interval. D Acoustic Measurements with Turbines Operational Measurements are conducted with the turbines operational by logging the Equivalent sound level in one-minute intervals, oneminute L eq, along with 1/3 rd octave band spectra within the 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range. Additionally, audio recordings of each interval are required to be recorded for the purposes of post measurement listening / analysis and source verification. The audio sample is recommended to be recorded with a sampling rate of 8,000 Hz or higher, (the minimum sampling resolution should be at least 16 bit and not compressed), and which can then be used in the determination of tonality. It should be noted that this limits the range of tonality analysis to below 3 khz. If analysis of tones at higher frequencies is desired, a higher sampling rate will be required. D Acoustic Measurements with Turbines Parked Ambient noise measurements shall be carried out at a Point of Reception with all turbines in the vicinity of the receptor point parked. The prediction model will be used to determine the number of turbines that require parking in order for the predicted noise contribution of the wind facility to fall to 30 dba or less. D 3.6 Non-acoustic Measurements Wind speed and direction measurements are carried out simultaneously and synchronously with the noise measurements. For each one-minute interval, the average wind speed along with the minimum and maximum wind speeds are recorded, along with the wind direction. The minimum sampling rate for the wind speed should be at least 1 Hz. The turbine electrical power output is important to track as it will indicate whether the turbine is generating power. Subject to wind conditions, it is common for a wide disparity in electrical power production across a wind facility between individual turbines. The overall output could be low while an individual turbine output is high and vice versa. For this reason, the electrical power output of all turbines within approximately 1,500m of the measurement location must be reported and documented. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 38

39 D 3.7 Supplementary Measurements / Data The following data should also be documented (10-minute interval data is acceptable): 1. Wind speed at turbine hub height, (based on the electrical power curve of the turbine); 2. Turbine electrical power output; and 3. Temperature and humidity during the measurement campaign. The following measurements, while not mandatory, are of benefit to the analysis: 1. Wind speed at the noise measurement height (i.e. 1.5 m, 4.5 m, etc), 2. Statistical noise indices during each interval (Ln), and 3, Wind shear analysis. It is understood that measuring and documenting the wind shear coefficient, m, may be of value. The wind shear coefficient should also be calculated and reported using the measured hub height and measured 10 m high location using the equation below. It is not recommended to use the equation below for determining the wind speed at other heights, or obtaining the wind shear using extrapolated points. where: m is the wind shear coefficient v hub is the wind speed at turbine hub height v 10 is the wind speed at a height of 10metres h hub is the turbine hub height h 10 is the height of 10 metres. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 39

40 D 3.8 Number of Measurement Intervals D Overall Equivalent Sound Level Turbines Operational No less than 120 one-minute intervals are required to be measured for each integer wind speed (within ±0.5 m/s) for the data set to be considered large enough to conduct the analysis. This total number applies to intervals which have not been omitted in the data reduction phase (see earlier section). In an audit scenario, this amount of data is required between 4 7 m/s integer wind speeds inclusively, (10 m height). At a minimum, all relevant turbines within 3 km of the measurement location should be operational and the power output of the turbines reported. D Overall Equivalent Sound Level Turbines Parked Ambient noise measurements should be performed with the turbines parked and conducted within the same general measurement period. Measurements of ambient noise obtained during other periods are not recommended and should only be used with great caution to ensure that they represent the current ambient noise. No less than 60 one-minute intervals are required to be measured for each integer wind speed (within ±0.5 m/s) for the ambient noise level to be determined. Pre-construction ambient monitoring may be carried out in an audit scenario provided that the location is specified as part of the Ministry Approval, and the same exact location is used post construction. The season of measurement should be sufficiently close to that of the turbine operational case in order that the same ambient vegetation and atmospheric patterns apply to both measurement sessions. For this scenario, it is recommended that the Qualified acoustical practitioner/wind facility operator provide an audit testing plan as part of the approvals process, which identifies the locations the audits are to be taken. D Tonality (Tonal Assessment) If there is a concern regarding the tonal nature of the turbine, (or wind facility), noise, the requirements in this section will apply. Such analysis may be triggered if there is observed tonal characteristic sound from the turbine, (or wind facility), or if the turbine manufacturer s noise test report shows tonal audibility (ΔLa,k) to be a positive value greater than 3, see References [1] and [2]. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 40

41 In the event that tonality measurements are to be carried out or analysed, for each integer wind speed, at least five one-minute intervals are required for wind turbine noise and background noise (turbines parked). These intervals shall be as close as possible to the integer wind speed. D4 Acoustic Audit Procedure The acoustic audit measurement procedure is the same as the complaint measurement procedure described in section D3 subject to the following additions or changes: D 4.1 Number of Measurement Locations As a general guideline, for new constructed wind facilities, the total number of receptors which may require sound immission measurements should be the higher of the: 1. number of turbines divided by 10; or 2. the number of receptor locations with noise levels predicted above 37 dba divided by 5, however, the maximum number of audits should not exceed five (5) measurement locations. The locations chosen should represent worst case Receptor locations. In case of non-integer ratios, the result should be rounded to the closest integer. D 4.2 Time of Measurements Due to weather constraints and instrument reliability, conducting measurements between December and February is not recommended in Canada, and actual equipment constraints should be verified prior to conducting any measurements. D5 Data Processing and Analysis D 5.1 General The accumulated sound level data must be processed before it can be used to determine compliance. This processing involves data reduction and filtering to allow for comparison with the Sound level limits. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 41

42 D 5.2 Data Reduction and Filtering In order for the data to be considered for the analysis, the following requirements must be met for each one (1) minute interval. Intervals that do not satisfy these requirements must be removed from the data set: 1. Intervals must be measured between 22:00 and 05:00. i.e. nighttime only. 2. Rainfall must not have occurred within at least one hour of the measurement interval. 3. The maximum or minimum wind speed measured during the interval should not differ from the average by more than 2 m/s. (As noted earlier the minimum sampling rate for the wind speed should be at least 1 Hz.) The provisions of section E 5.4(7) may be utilized at the discretion of the Qualified acoustical practitioner. For the purposes of the following sections (D 5.2(4) and D 5.2(5), turbine means the turbine which has the greatest predicted noise impact at the measurement location. 4. Only downwind data will be considered in the analysis. With reference to the turbine location, downwind directions are +/- 45 degrees from the line of sight between the turbine and measurement location. The downwind direction should be based on the yaw angle of the turbine. 5. Only data when the turbine s electrical output is approximately equal to or greater than 85% of its rated electrical power output should be included in the analysis. The above requirements apply to both turbine operational and parked cases. Additional filters can be considered such as removal of individual events where the signal-to-noise ratio is low. This additional filtering should be discussed with Ministry staff to ensure that the data would be accepted. D 5.3 Effects of Insects and Fauna The analysis shall identify the influence of any insects, fauna, or other extraneous but constant sources of noise and verify them through sound recordings. Noise from insects can be removed from the 1/3 rd octave spectra of each measurement. It has to be shown, however, that the contribution of the wind turbine noise in those frequencies is minimal. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 42

43 D 5.4 Determination of Turbine Sound Level The measured sound levels when the wind facility is operating represent the overall sound levels, including the ambient noise. In order to determine the sound level produced by the wind facility the ambient sound level needs to be subtracted, on an energy basis (logarithmically), from the overall level. Following the filtering and data reduction described above, the resulting Equivalent sound levels (Leq) for all the remaining intervals should be plotted separately for both cases: turbines operating; and turbines parked. The Leq levels should be plotted against the measured 10 m wind speed for those intervals. D 5.5 Data Analysis It is recommended that the binning method be used for the analysis of the accumulated one-minute sound level data. The accumulated sound levels, at one-minute interval levels, need to be binned by integer wind speed. Binning means arranging the sound level data within a bin representing an integer wind speed, ± 0.5 m/s. Once binned, the mean and standard deviation of the Leq is computed for each wind speed bin. This is carried out for both the turbines operating and the turbines parked cases. Subsequently, for each integer wind speed, the turbine noise contribution is computed by subtracting on an energy basis (logarithmically) the mean Leq of the turbines parked case from that of the turbines operating case. Should it be required, the standard deviation of the resultant wind facility sound level can be determined by using appropriate statistical methods. This added information may provide insight into the variation of the wind facility s contribution and aid in understanding the wind facility s (turbine), immission levels at the measurement point. D 5.6 Tonal Assessment The tonal audibility shall be determined for all valid data records. If a tone is identified at any of the wind speeds, the average tonal audibility correction shall be added to the final noise contribution of the wind turbine at those wind speeds. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 43

44 D6 Assessment of Compliance Results of measurements and analysis are to be compared against the applicable sound level limits contained in Noise Guidelines, Reference [5] and shown in the following table: Wind Speed (m/s) at 10 m height (agl) Wind Turbine Sound Level Limits Class 3 Area, dba Wind Turbine Sound Level Limits Class 1 & 2 Areas, dba Results shall be rounded to the nearest integer for comparison with the limit for each wind speed category. In order to be deemed in compliance the numerical values of the results must not exceed the limit at each wind speed category. D7 Documentation The following information should be reported: 1. Conditions during the measurement. This includes, but is not limited to: (a) The dates of the measurement campaign; (b) The temperature range; (c) The general weather conditions; (d) The range of wind speeds encountered; (e) The wind rose showing the wind directions encountered; and (f) A statement, signed by the operator of the wind facility, confirming that the wind turbines in question were operating normally for the duration of the campaign, (except during parked ambient noise measurements). This statement should also be supported by electrical power output data for the relevant turbines. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 44

45 2. The result of the analysis outlined in section D5 should be presented both graphically and tabulated. They should include: (a) The total sound curve/levels; (b) The ambient sound curve/levels; (c) The turbine sound curve/levels; and (d) Calculated standard deviation on all 3 sets, at each integer wind speed, (if applicable). The results must cover a wind speed range of at least 4 7 m/s as outlined in earlier sections, (10 m height). 3. Acknowledgement of whether tonality was observed from the audio signals. If tonality is observed, the tonal adjustments that were applied in the analysis should be reported. 4. Comparison of the total contribution of the turbines (including tonality) to the applicable sound level limit, and a statement of whether the wind facility is in compliance with those limits. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 45

46 PART E: E & I AUDITS - COMPLIANCE EVALUATION E1 Purpose The purpose of this section is to describe the Ministry s risk-based approach to its review of Acoustic Audits for wind turbines, (E and I-Audits), including how the Ministry plans to assess them for compliance purposes. E Audits verify the validity of the sound power levels, provided by manufacturers used in acoustic models to determine the noise impact of a wind facility at Receptor locations. I Audits verify the validity of predicted sound pressure levels in Acoustic Assessment Reports, and verify compliance with applicable Sound level limits at Receptor locations. The Ministry has relatively broad authority under the EPA to take steps to address noncompliance. All noise-related issues will be considered in accordance with the Ministry s compliance strategy so that wind facilities operate in compliance with the Approvals. This includes options of voluntary Abatement or mandatory Abatement in accordance with the Compliance Policy Applying Abatement and Enforcement Tools, Reference [10]. Abatement options (either voluntary or mandatory) may vary from site to site and can include continued noise monitoring, implementation of a NAAP or the shutting down of turbines. In appropriate cases, the matter may be referred to the Ministry's Investigations and Enforcement Branch. More specifically, this section is intended to outline how the Ministry plans to review and evaluate the potential for increased noise impacts at receptors in cases where there are noted technical violations. This may occur where E - Audit results show that the measured Sound power levels of wind turbines exceed the Sound power levels identified in the Approval. In most cases, exceedances in Sound power levels are insignificant and unlikely to result in potential adverse effects at receptor locations. Where measured Sound power levels are higher than what was set out in the Approval, the Ministry s main objective will be to determine whether the wind facility continues to meet the Ministry s sound level limits at the Receptor locations. The Ministry may do this by requesting the owner/operator of the wind facility to voluntarily undertake the further assessment outlined in this document, and/or by using compliance methods available under the EPA to require this additional work to be undertaken. If the owner/operator of the wind facility can demonstrate, through the additional assessment outlined in this document, that the applicable Ministry Sound level limits continue to be met at the Receptor locations, the Ministry does not anticipate taking further compliance action. However, if Sound level limits are not being met at the Receptor locations, the Ministry will take appropriate action to require the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 46

47 owner/operator of the wind facility to achieve compliance. This section also addresses situations where the Ministry receives incomplete E Audits and/or I Audits. This section also describes the additional steps, or additional information, that may be required by the Ministry from owners/operators of wind facilities to address such situations. It should be noted that, while this section provides a general overview of the Ministry s expected approach to its review of Acoustic Audits including how it will respond to compliance issues, there may be situations that will be handled differently or that will require deviations from this section. The proposed approach set out in this section, although anticipated to apply in the majority of cases, may not be appropriate in all circumstances. E2 Review Processes for Wind Turbine Acoustic Audits Throughout the review processes, the Director and staff of the Ministry s District Office where the facility is located will work together to ensure the wind facility operates in accordance with the Ministry s requirements. E 2.1 Complete E Audits Options 1 and 2 In cases where Complete E - Audits note that Sound power levels exceed those identified in the Approval, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to follow the process set out in section E 3.1.1, or the process set out in section E Refer to Appendix F5 for items which must be submitted with the Audit. E 2.2 Incomplete E - Audits In cases where the Ministry receives incomplete E Audits, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to follow the process set out in section E 3.2. To address E - Audits that deviate from section 9 of CAN/CSA-C , Reference [1] (or, at the Director s discretion, another standard such as CAN/CSA-IEC :13, Reference [11]), refer to the process set out in section E E 2.3 Incomplete I Audits In cases where I - Audits are submitted to the Ministry with incomplete data and/or noting that Sound level limits have been exceeded, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to follow the process set out in section E5.2. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 47

48 E3 E - Audit Review Processes E 3.1 Complete Submission The Ministry will review the E Audit, and if the measured Sound power levels are below the Sound power levels in the Approval plus 0.5 db, (0.5 db is derived from section 4(4)(h) of NPC-103, Reference [8]), the Ministry will inform the owner/operator of the wind facility that no further action is required. The Ministry considers an increase of up to 0.5 db from an approved Sound power level to be acoustically insignificant and unlikely to result in any perceptible difference in sound levels at the Receptors. However, if the E - Audit notes that the measured Sound power levels exceed the Sound power levels stated in the Approval by more than 0.5 db, the Ministry will require the owner/operator to follow one of the two options set out below, (Refer to Figure 1). E Option 1: Re-modelling The owner/operator may choose to remodel the wind facility based on the Sound power levels measured from the E - Audit by including the maximum wind shear at the subject site. The owner/operator will then be required to submit an updated Acoustic Assessment Report to the Ministry, (Refer to Figure 2). E Option 2: I Audit or RAM I - Audit Alternatively, the owner / operator may choose to conduct an I - Audit at the worst Point of Reception, (Refer to Figure 3). If an I - Audit at the worst Point of Reception was already conducted as part of a condition of an Approval, that I - Audit can be used to satisfy this option. If the conducted I - Audit is incomplete, the owner/operator will be required to follow one of the options outlined in section E5.2, which could include a RAM I Audit. E Sound Levels that are Acceptable to the Ministry If, after following one of the two options, the owner/operator of the wind facility is able to show that the remodelled/measured sound levels meet the Ministry s Sound level limits at the Point(s) of reception/measurement location(s), the Ministry will confirm that: a. the E - Audit shows that the measured Sound power levels of the wind turbines, (wind facility), exceed the Sound power levels set out in the Approval, Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 48

49 b. the remodeled / measured sound levels demonstrate compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits and c. the Ministry will not take further action or require that the Approval be amended. Note: This does not preclude the Ministry from requiring future audits, based on valid complaints from residents. E Sound Levels that do not Meet the Ministry s Sound Level Limits If, after following one of the two options, the owner/operator of the wind facility cannot demonstrate that the remodeled/measured sound levels meets the Ministry s Sound level limits at the Point(s) of reception/measurement location(s), the owner/operator will be required to submit a Noise Abatement Action Plan (NAAP) to the Director and the District Manager. The owner/operator of the wind facility will usually be required to submit the NAAP within 60 days of receiving a written request from the Ministry to do so, or within a date agreed to by the Director and/or District Manager. The Ministry will review and approve the NAAP. The Ministry will typically require that the NAAP outline proposed timelines and mitigation measures to: i. bring the wind facility into compliance with the applicable Sound level limits, or ii. mitigate when the noise levels are over the Ministry guidelines, (i.e. the operator has options such as de-rating turbines and / or curtail the wind turbine operation under specific conditions, {wind speeds/direction}). After the implementation of the NAAP, the owner/operator of the wind facility will be required to complete and submit an E - Audit to the Ministry to verify compliance. The Ministry will also require that all E - Audit reports be posted on the project website, if one exists, within 10 business days of the E Audit being submitted to the Director and District Manager. The Ministry expects the owner/operator to ensure that the E Audit reports, and any updates, remain available to the public on the project website, (if one exists), for the life of the project. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 49

50 E Notes on Compliance For purposes of section E 3.1 (E - Audit Review Process for Complete Submissions), the Ministry will generally not take further compliance action if either of the following conditions are satisfied: a. The measured sound level at the Point of Reception with the greatest predicted noise level is less than or equal to the applicable Sound level limit; or b. The measured/calculated Sound power levels of subject turbines are less than or equal to the Sound power level(s) in the Approval plus 0.5 db. For example, if a turbine is approved at a Sound power level of db, then an acceptable Sound power level will be at or below = db. E 3.2 Incomplete E Audit Submission E Deviations from the Standard In general, it is not acceptable to deviate from the Standard CAN/CSA-C , Reference [1] or another procedure approved by the Ministry unless the E - Audit report demonstrates that the procedure used in the assessment results in the measurement and/or calculation of conservative sound levels. The Ministry expects E - Audit reports to include justifications for any deviations from Reference [1] or another procedure approved by the Director. If a method is not demonstrated to be more accurate / conservative than the approved methodology, the audit report will not be deemed acceptable. Examples of deviations that the Ministry would not consider acceptable, include the following: a. Distance R1 is defined in Reference [1] on page 10 and Figure 4a as the slant distance from rotor centre to the actual measurement position i. This distance (R1) includes the horizontal distance from rotor centre to the tower axis. A shorter distance is not acceptable. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 50

51 b. It is not acceptable to use the bin analysis of the acoustic energy, (average of each bin) instead of the polynomial method to calculate the apparent Sound power level. Please refer to section 8.3 of Reference [1] for further clarification. c. The acquisition of E - Audit data over several measurement campaigns, (for example different seasons; spring, summer or fall), is not acceptable. Measurement over several seasons is not considered to be a short period of time. Different seasons may have different ambient conditions, which could compromise the integrity of the results. Measurements of Sound pressure levels and wind speeds should be made simultaneously over short periods of time and over the required range of wind speeds. Examples of deviations that the Ministry would consider acceptable include the following: a. During the sound level measurement campaign, the use of a ten (10) second averaging time in place of a one (1) minute averaging time is acceptable. b. The use of different methodologies to calculate the turbine wind speeds, (turbine power curve and anemometer at 10 m height), when the power curve is a flat line (maximum electrical output is achieved) is acceptable if the results are conservative. The Ministry will require additional supporting information from the owner/operator of the wind facility for any deviations from the Standard CAN/CSA-C , References [1] or [11] or another procedure approved by the Director. The Ministry will typically require that the owner/operator provide this information within 30 days of the Ministry s written request to do so (preferably via analytical analysis in the form of an Excel spreadsheet). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 51

52 E Missing Information Where an E Audit is missing data, such as but not limited to: a. sound data (e.g. sound data for higher wind speeds, such as 9 and 10 m/s), b. wind speed data, or c. supporting data to confirm that the Background sound level was too high to measure the turbine sound, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to obtain that missing data. The Ministry will typically require that the owner/operator provide this information within 60 days of the Ministry s written request to do so. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 52

53 E4 E Audit Flow Charts Figure 1 : E - Audit Overview (Options 1 & 2): Process Flow Chart E - Audit : It is assumed that the E Audit is complete Question 1 (details below) yes Further action not required no Option 1 Approval holder Option 2 makes a choice Re-model noise impact based on the E-Audit Sound Power Levels (L w ) adjusted to include the maximum wind shear at the site. Undertake a new I -Audit at the worst case POR. no Was I-Audit Conducted At Worst Case POR? Was I-Audit Complete? no yes The approval holder is required to propose and implement mitigation measures and verify the effectiveness of the abatement measures via another E-Audit. no Question 2 (Details below) yes Goto Action 3 of I-Audit Flow Chart RAM I-Audit yes SPL= Sound Pressure Level of the wind facility; at a measurement location / point of reception L w = Sound Power Level of the Wind Turbine ; same meaning as in the Approval Question 1: (E-Audit) Are the E Audit Lw values the Approval Lw values db Question 2: (I-Audit and remodelling) Are the SPL values 40 6 m/s The E-Audit noted L w 's that exceed the Approval L w 's by more than 0.5 db; but re-modelling or measurements noted acceptable SPLs ( 40 6 m/s ) at receptor locations. The Approval holder is not required to amend the Approval to include the E-Audit sound power level. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 53

54 Figure 2 : E - Audit Option 1: Process Flow Chart The following flow chart further illustrates the steps the Ministry will follow in determining Abatement processes when an E Audit is deemed to be complete (i.e. includes all required information). E - Audit : It is assumed that the E Audit is complete A Are the E Audit Sound Power Levels Acceptable? Step 2 yes Further action not required D.O Step 1 D.O no B Step 3 The approval holder ie reqired to remodel the noise impact based on the E- Audit Sound Power Levels adjusted to include the maximum wind shear at the site Are the remodelled levels acceptable no yes Step 4 D.O Step 5 The Approval holderis required to verify the effectiveness of the abatement measures via another E-Audit. The approval holder is required to propose and implement mitigation measures and submit an application to amend the Approval if applicable. D.O. The Approval holder is not required to take further action. The Approval holder is not required to amend the Approval to include the E-Audit sound power level(s). The E-Audit Sound Power Levels exceed the Approval Sound Power Levels by more than 0.5 db; however the re-modelled Sound Pressure Levels are 40 6 m/s A = Acceptable E-Audit Sound Power Levels do not exceed the Approval Sound Power Levels by more than 0.5 db D.O = EAB will notify District Office, and EAB will lead, unless the Approval Holder is not co-operative, then D.O. will lead B = Acceptable Sound Pressue values are 40 6 m/s ; for more details refer to the Noise Guidelines for Wind Farms. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 54

55 Figure 3 : E - Audit Option 2: Process Flow Chart The following flow chart further illustrates the steps the Ministry will follow in determining Abatement processes when an E Audit is deemed to be complete (i.e. includes all required information). E - Audit : It is assumed that the E Audit is complete Step 1 Step 2 Are the E-Audit Sound Power Levels acceptable? D.O A no yes Further action not required D.O Step 3 A D.O Did the Approval require an I - Audit at the worst case receptor? no yes Step 4 Acceptable E- Audit Sound Power Levels do not exceed the Approval Sound Power Levels by more than than 0.5 db Step 7 The approval holder is required to undertake a new I - Audit at the worst case receptor Step 8 I Audit complete? D.O no RAM I-Audit Goto Action 3 of I Audit Flow Chart no Does I Audit Comply with the applicable noise limits? D.O D.O no I Audit complete? C yes yes Step 5 D.O Step 6 yes The Approval holderis required to verify the effectiveness of abatement measures via another E-Audit. The approval holder is required to propose and implement mitigation measures and submit an application to amend the Approval if applicable. The Approval holder is not required to take further action. The Approval holder is not required to amend the Approval to include the E-Audit sound power level(s). The E-Audit Sound Power Levels exceed the Approval Sound Power Levels by more than 0.5 db ; however the I - Audit Sound Pressure Level at the worst case receptor is 40 6 m/s. D.O C = Limits are noted in Section D6 = EAB will notify District Office, and EAB will lead, unless the Approval Holder is not co-operative, then D.O. will lead Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 55

56 E5 I - Audit Review Process E 5.1 Complete Submissions If the I - Audit report is complete and demonstrates compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, the Director will inform the owner/operator of the wind facility, in writing, that the I - Audit report shows compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, and that no further action is required. Refer to Appendix F6 for items, which must be submitted with the Audit. If a tonal assessment, (conducted in accordance with the procedure in Reference [1] or at the Director s discretion compliant with another equivalent standard) indicates a tonal audibility value that exceeds 4 db, the Ministry will require that a tonal penalty be applied, at all receptors, in accordance with penalties described in Annex C of ISO , Reference [2],. In this case, the Ministry will assess compliance with the Sound level limits based on whichever of the following is applicable: the measured sound levels plus the tonal penalty at the measurement locations; or the modelled sound levels plus the tonal penalty. If the I Audit report is complete and demonstrates non-compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, the owner/operator of the wind facility will be required to submit a NAAP to the Director and the District Manager (Refer to Figure 4). The owner/operator of the wind facility will usually be required to submit the NAAP within 60 days of receiving a written request from the Ministry to do so, or within a date agreed to by Director and / or the District Manager. The Ministry will review and approve the NAAP. The Ministry will typically require that the NAAP outline proposed mitigation measures (including timelines) to bring the wind facility into compliance with the applicable Sound level limits. The NAAP will also be expected to include details about the completion and submission of a new I - Audit to the Ministry to verify that compliance has been achieved, following implementation of the mitigation measures. E Notes on Compliance For the purposes of section E 5.1 (I - Audit Review Process for Complete Submissions), the Ministry will consider a wind facility to be in compliance if, for all point(s) of reception and/or measurement locations covered by the I - Audit, the measured sound level(s) is (are) less than or equal to the Sound level limits as specified in the Part D6 of this document. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 56

57 The Ministry will require that the I Audit include a table summarizing the Point(s) of reception/measurement locations, as well as the rationale for why specific Point(s) of reception/measurement locations were chosen. Refer to the table in Appendix F4 for an example. Where a NAAP is required, in the subsequent I Audit report(s), the owner/operator of the wind facility will also be required to make a statement, with suitable rationale, indicating that the sound levels at all other Receptors identified in the Acoustic Assessment Report are in compliance with the applicable sound level limits. E 5.2 Incomplete Submissions If the I - Audit is incomplete, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to follow one of the two options set out below, (Refer also to Figure 4). The first option would allow the owner/operator to combine the audit results of two measurement campaigns. The second option would allow the owner/operator to use a revised assessment methodology (RAM I Audit. described in section E 5.4) to assess compliance. E 5.3 Option 1: Combine Audit Results If proceeding with this option, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to submit an interim report to the Ministry based on the partial information of the first I - Audit. This I - Audit will be required to include: a. A measurement period of at least six (6) consecutive weeks; b. The owner/operator s initial (pre-construction) annual wind rose, wind speed and summer nighttime wind shear data for the site; and c. A cover letter noting what percentage of the measurement data was acquired. The Ministry will allow the owner/operator to combine the first I - Audit with the second I - Audit, as the Approval conditions typically require two I - Audits at receptor locations. The Ministry will require this combined I - Audit to be submitted by the due date for the second I - Audit that is set out in the Approval. If the combination of the two I - Audits provides sufficient data to fulfil the minimum data requirements as detailed in section D of this document, the Ministry will consider the I - Audit to be complete, and will apply the same compliance criteria and considerations set out in section E 5.1above for the I - Audit Review Process for Complete Submissions. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 57

58 If not, the Ministry will require the owner/operator to submit an I-Audit using the revised assessment methodology for I - Audits (RAM I - Audit) specified in the section below. E 5.4 Option 2: Analysis Parameters for the RAM I - Audit For this option, the Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to undertake an assessment based on Part D of this document, and as modified below. The owner/operator of the wind facility will be required to complete the RAM I - Audit within 60 days of receiving a written request from the Ministry to do so, or within a date agreed to by the Director. The objective of the RAM I - Audit will be to assess the acoustic immission at the measurement location at wind speeds between 0 and 7 m/s (inclusive). At a minimum, three (3) of the wind speeds between 0 and 7 m/s (inclusive) will be required to be included in the analysis. In this section, Turbine means a turbine, which has the greatest predicted noise impact at the subject receptor/measurement location. The following items describe the assessment parameters, which the Ministry will apply to the RAM I - Audit analysis: 1) The owner/operator of the wind facility will be required to verify that all wind turbines and transformers within the facility are operating within the manufacturer s performance parameters (i.e. there are no maintenance issues). 2) Only downwind data will be considered in the analysis. With reference to the Turbine location, downwind directions are +/- 45 degrees from the line of sight between the Turbine and receptor/measurement location. The downwind direction should be based on the yaw angle of the Turbine and the receptor anemometer data (at a 10 m height). 3) Only data when the Turbine s electrical output is approximately equal to or greater than 85% of its rated electrical power output should be included in the analysis. 4) The Ministry may accept a reduced number of data points for each wind speed with appropriate justification (i.e. 60 data points in place of 120 for turbine on measurements and 30 data points in place of 60 data points for ambient measurements). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 58

59 5) If the measurement campaign is unable to acquire the minimum number of ambient sound level data, the owner/operator of the wind facility will be permitted to use one of the provisions described below; a. use the ambient sound level data from a lower wind speed bin to represent a higher wind speed bin (i.e., if 6 m/s data is unavailable, the owner/operator is permitted to use 5 m/s data to represent the 6 m/s data bin), or b. use a value of 30 dba. 6) The Ministry, on a case by case basis, may also accept sound level measurements based on a shorter averaging time rather than the current one (1) minute averaging time, (minimum interval - 10 seconds). However, in such cases the equivalent data set should be comprised of a minimum of 60 minutes worth of data per wind speed bin. 7) The Ministry will permit the data filtering criterion as noted in section D 5.2(3) of this document, to be modified as noted below: a. Acoustic measurements with turbines parked (ambient); i. There will not be a restriction on the minimum wind speed measured during an ambient measurement interval; ii. The minimum wind speed measured during an interval may be lower than the average wind speed by more than 2 m/s. b. Acoustic measurements with turbines operational (ambient + turbines); i. There will not be a restriction on the maximum wind speed measured during an interval with the turbines operational; the maximum wind speed measured during an interval may exceed the average wind speed by more than 2 m/s. ii. The minimum wind speed measured during an interval should not differ from the average wind speed by more than 2 m/s. 8) All measurements should be taken at least 5 m from any objects (e.g. trees, cars, trailers, etc.). Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 59

60 E RAM I Audit Reporting Requirements 1) The Ministry will require the RAM I - Audit report to be submitted in hard and electronic form and to include the following information: a. The data used in the analysis, (Excel spreadsheet), such as but not limited to the: i. Wind speed at the measurement location (10 m height); ii. Wind speed at the hub height of the turbine; iii. Sound pressure level at the measurement location; iv. Wind direction at hub height; and v. Wind direction at the measurement location; b. The as built co-ordinates and approved UTM co-ordinates of all turbines and transformer substations in the wind facility (in an Excel spreadsheet); c. The measurement location identification nomenclature and UTM co-ordinates: (i.e. POR 256; UTM {456,897: 4,678,897}); d. If the measurement location is not a Point of reception or Participating Receptor, then a unique measurement location descriptor is required in addition to the predicted sound level at the measurement location; and e. If applicable, all communication with the Ministry related to the choice of the measurement location. 2) The Ministry will require the owner/operator of the wind facility to provide the following for all turbines within 1500 m of the measurement location(s), and if possible, include data for adjacent wind facilities, (10 minute interval data is acceptable): a. the electrical power output; b. hub height wind direction, (yaw angle), and c. hub height wind speed Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 60

61 3) The Ministry will require the RAM I - Audit to include a map and of the measurement location as follows: a. One picture should be taken at the measurement location in the direction of the Turbine; b. A picture should be taken in close proximity to the Turbine in the direction of the measurement location; and c. Another picture should be taken at 90 degrees to the line between the Turbine and the measurement location. This picture should include the area in the vicinity of the microphone and the receptor. E Notes on Compliance If a tonal assessment (conducted in accordance with the procedure in Reference [1] or at the Director s discretion compliant with another equivalent standard) indicates a tonal audibility value that exceeds 4 db, then the Ministry will require that a tonal penalty be applied, at all receptors, in accordance with Annex C of ISO , Reference [2]. In this case, the Ministry will assess compliance with the sound level limits based on whichever of the following is applicable: the measured sound levels plus the tonal penalty at the measurement locations; or the modelled sound levels plus the tonal penalty. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 61

62 Option 1: Combine Audit Results As noted in section E 5.2 for purposes of the I - Audit Review Process for Incomplete Submissions Option 1, if the combination of the two I - Audits provides sufficient data to fulfil the minimum data requirements as detailed in section D of this document, the Ministry will consider the I - Audit to be complete, and will apply the same compliance criteria and considerations set out in section E 5.1for the I - Audit Review Process for Complete Submissions. Option 2: Analysis Parameters for the RAM I - Audit For the purposes of the I - Audit Review Process for Incomplete Submissions Option 2, the Ministry will consider a wind facility to be in compliance if, for all Point(s) of reception and/or measurement locations covered by the I - Audit, the measured sound level(s) is (are) less than or equal to the Sound level limits as specified in section D 6 of this document. The Ministry will require a table summarizing the point(s) of reception/measurement locations, as well as the rationale for why specific point(s) of reception/measurement locations were chosen, to be included in the I Audit. Refer to the table in Appendix F3 for an example. As part of the RAM I Audit report, the owner/operator of the wind facility will also be required to make a statement, with suitable rationale, indicating that the sound levels at all other Receptors identified in the Acoustic Assessment Report are in compliance with the applicable Sound level limits. If the RAM I-Audit report demonstrates compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, the Director will inform the owner/operator of the wind facility, in writing, that the RAM I - Audit report shows compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, and that no further action is required. If the RAM I-Audit report demonstrates non-compliance with the Ministry s Sound level limits, the owner/operator of the wind facility will be required to submit a NAAP to the District Office and the Director. The owner/operator of the wind facility will usually be required to submit the NAAP within 60 days of receiving a written request from the Ministry to do so, or within a date agreed to by the Director and \ or District Manager. The Ministry will review and approve the NAAP. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 62

63 The Ministry will typically require that the NAAP outline proposed mitigation measures (including timelines) to bring the wind facility into compliance with the applicable Sound level limits. The NAAP will also be expected to include details about the completion and submission of a new I - Audit to the Ministry to verify that compliance has been achieved, following implementation of the mitigation measures. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 63

64 E6 I Audit Flow Chart Figure 4 : I - Audit: Process Flow Chart The following flow chart further illustrates the steps the Ministry will follow in determining Abatement processes for I Audits. I - Audit Step 1 I Audit complete? Step 2 Step 3 yes B Are the I Audit values acceptable? no no yes RAM I-Audit Step 6 Step 7 Approval holder makes choice Combine Audits Approvals usually require 2 audits at the same location. Action 1: Approval Holder to submit interim report based on partial information of the first audit D.O Action 2: Approval Holder permitted to combine the results of first audit with second Audit Approval holder not required to take further action D.O D.O Step 4 Approval Holder to propose and implement mitigation measures and amend the Approval if required D.O Step 5 I Audit complete? yes Approval Holder to conduct verification I - Audit Step 8 no RAM I-Audit D.O Action 3: Approval Holder to re-assess Audit based on the Revised Assessment Methodology (RAM I-Audit ) D.O B B Acceptable = receptors measured to be at or below 40 6 m/s; Ref. Sec. D6 Are the RAM I-Audit Sound Pressure Levels acceptacle? no yes D.O EAB will notify District Office, and EAB will lead, unless the Approval Holder is not co-operative, then D.O. will lead Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 64

65 PART F: APPENDICES F1 Appendix 1: Noise Complaint Form State the resident s name and address. Describe the problem: a. When did the noise become a problem? b. Where on the property is the noise a problem? (i.e. inside or outside the house). c. When is the noise a problem? (i.e. nighttime, weekdays, season, etc.) d. What is the duration of the noise issues? (This will help deciding the approach for attended measurements) e. Describe the ambient conditions when noise is a problem (i.e. wind strength, wind general direction, approximate temperature, precipitation, other) f. What are the ambient conditions when the noise is not a problem? (What else is audible?) g. Compared to other noise sources in the area, why is this noise a problem? (i.e. louder, distinct pitch, other characteristics). h. Other comments. Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 65

66 F2 Appendix 2: Overview of the Qualitative Assessment The general steps identified in the qualitative assessment are included in the figure below: Sample UTM Analysis Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Page 66