Tag Archives: Harrison

The MOE and Libby

David Libby lives in rural Ontario, unfortunately within 700 metres of a wind turbine.  He complained to the Ontario MOE about the noise and in December of 2011 they dispatched some noise and weather-measuring equipment to his home.  Whenever the noise bothered him, he could press a button and a 10-minute detailed recording period would start.  During the 7+ days the equipment was in place he pressed the button 9 times.  The MOE ran off and after a while dutifully reported back that the operator was substantially in compliance.  Libby released that report to the public back in January 2012, which got a posting on Ontario Wind Resistance.   John Harrison then took a look at it,  and now we can see just how complicit the MOE is in harming people in order to protect this industry. Continue reading The MOE and Libby

Harrison’s Latest Project

John Harrison, a retired physics professor, has been doing research and writing letters for several years now.  His latest is a 15-page compilation of all the ways CanWEA misrepresents the known facts about wind energy.  He sent this compilation to a number of government officials etc in December 2010 and has updated it recently.  His cover letter reads:
Dear xxxx
For some time I have been upset by the misinformation dispensed by the Canadian Wind Energy Authority
[sic – should be Association] and the way that it has been swallowed hook, line and sinker by environmental groups, government ministries, some journalists and of course by the wind industry. The attached report resulted from a study of the official transcript of evidence given to the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources in November, 2010. I hope that you will read it, be suitably embarrassed and use it to think more deeply about your support for renewable energy in its present form. The report was written primarily for the Senate Committee and went to all members of that committee in December, 2010. In its up-dated form it is being sent to various environmental groups, members of provincial parliament, government ministries and some journalists.
Yours sincerely,
John Harrison

Let me add a post-script: In parts of Ontario where wind energy developers are out persuading land-owners to sign leases, CanWEA is running ads in the local paper. It shows a smiling Angela Morin, owner of The Island Grill on Wolfe Island, and the following quote: “The wind farm project managers came to us and said we want to be part of the community, and they really lived up to that. The extra business allowed us to stay open during the winter, when we’re normally closed. The wind facility has also brought in some tourists who are curious to see what it’s all about.”  A WCO member in the region being canvassed by the developers contacted a member on Wolfe Island. He learnt the following: “Yes I’m from Wolfe Island. This lady’s [Angela Morin’s] restaurant has been closed up for the winter since before Christmas and it is for sale along with the island’s only hotel and only bakery and 2 bed and breakfasts and a boat building business all situated in the tiny village of Marysville.”

Harrison on Noise Over Water

John Harrison, retired physics professor from Queen’s University in Kingston, continues to produce thoughtful and well-written articles on various topics surrounding wind turbines.  This one discusses the propagation of noise over water, and how Ontario’s setback of 5KM is woefully inadequate.  It gets fairly technical, including research you won’t find in industry or government publications.

Harrison, Sound Propagation from Off-Shore Wind Turbines

John Harrison

John Harrison, a retired physics professor who lives on Amherst Island, has been studying various aspects of wind turbines. He started with noise and is now expanded to electrical generation patterns. His papers and letters represent original and important contributions to the discussion. They are referenced in the appropriate sections of this site, and I thought it would be useful to additionally reference them all from one place, in reverse chronological order.

Continue reading John Harrison