Our areas of expertise include acoustic assessments and acoustic audits for various types of renewable energy projects, specifically wind turbine and solar projects including long term wind turbine noise monitoring. We regularly submit AAR, Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) Noise Assessments and Acoustic Audits for submission to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment – Conservation and Parks (MECP). Additionally, we are often retained by the MECP to work to assist with the review and development of various noise measurement guidelines.
We have been involved with design, acoustic assessments, applications for approvals, long-term monitoring, noise complaint investigations, acoustic audits, etc., for a variety of wind turbine/solar farms in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as in the United States and overseas. We are one of the first acoustical consultants to conduct acoustic wind turbine noise assessment, wind turbine noise monitoring reports and audits for wind and solar farm noise assessment projects in Ontario.
Valcoustics is intimately familiar with the MECP requirements for acoustic wind turbine noise assessment, wind farm noise assessment and audits. Under contract from the MECP in 2011, we peer reviewed the draft “Compliance Protocol for Wind Turbine Noise”, ultimately issued as PIBS #8540e. Valcoustics is also familiar with the audit requirements process for immisson and emission acoustic audits, that is required for most REA’s.
Valcoustics has extensive experience in digital signal processing, data analysis and management for large samples of wind turbine noise measurement data. We were one of the first consulting firms to develop and employ remote sound (and vibration) monitoring systems for long-term wind turbine noise and vibration measurement and monitoring.
We have been conducting wind turbine noise measurement, including acoustic audits, for almost 20 years for a variety of wind farms and have developed various proprietary analysis programs, including statistical analysis methods specifically for wind farm acoustic audits. We have published various papers in a variety of acoustic journals with regards to wind turbine noise monitoring.
