Renewable energy is growing in Illinois and wind energy now makes up 7.6% of the state’s electricity generation according to www.energynews.us. Locally, the Cardinal Point Wind Farm developed their industrial wind farm which includes 60 wind turbines spread across northern McDonough County and southern Warren County. As a result of the new project, a local grain and livestock farmer in southern Warren County says they are learning there may be long-term adverse effects from the turbines. Melanie Monroe explains:
“How do you know who to believe? The industry comes in and says we have this clean, green renewable energy source and what I am learning, is from not the energy industry, I am learning from the people that live near them. I’m learning from acousticians who come in and actually do real measurements of audible noise and inaudible noise, which is infrasound and low frequency noise. Those are things that we need to be recognizing and putting into our wind energy system ordinance,” Monroe says.
