An environmental impact assessment is carried out for every project. In this way, potential adverse effects on the well-being, health and safety of the population can be avoided through the various expert opinions and analyses.

• The artificial utilisation of soils is very marginal. At the end of their service life, the turbines of a wind farm - including all foundations - are dismantled and the land must be returned to its original ^state1.
• The agricultural land on which a wind farm is built remains entirely arable, with the exception of the land used for the paths and platforms that provide access to the wind turbines.

^1Source: Decree of 10 December 2021 amending the regulations for electricity generation installations using the mechanical energy of the wind within an installation subject to authorisation

• Wind turbines and livestock farming are perfectly compatible.

  - 83.2 % of onshore wind farms are located in agricultural areas.
  - 21 % are located near cattle farms, 16 % near mixed arable and livestock farms.

• After the Quatre Seigneurs wind farm (Loire-Atlantique) and its alleged impact on two nearby dairy farms was publicised in the media, independent studies and expert opinions were carried out without establishing a causal link.
• Feedback from European countries shows that there is peaceful coexistence between wind farms and ^livestock1.

^1Source: "L'éolien en milieu agricole" (Wind energy in the agricultural environment)

What do you know about this?
The wind energy sector is aware of the concerns and has set up an internal working group to monitor these issues and carry out appropriate consultation, inviting everyone to refer to the scientific opinions available on the ADEME website
 

• The National Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) monitors the impact of wind turbines, in particular the impact on noise. The main source of noise is of aerodynamic origin and is related to the friction of the blades in the air and the turbulence generated by their ^movement1.
• A wind farm must comply with the regulations on noise ^emissions2 at residential buildings, i.e. a maximum noise emission of 5 decibels during the day and 3 decibels at night.

You can find the detailed documentation here.

• Infrasound is sound with a frequency of less than 20 Hz. Wind turbines generate infrasound at a level comparable to natural infrasound, mainly because they are exposed to the wind. The infrasound generated in this way is low compared to the infrasound in our usual environment. In fact, infrasound occurs naturally in our environment. It can be generated by natural phenomena such as thunder or the wind blowing through the trees, as well as by numerous artificial sources linked to people's daily activities (road traffic, washing machines, etc.).

^1Sources: 
Health effects of noise generated by wind turbines
Exposure to low frequencies and infrasound from wind farms
2Emergence is the measured difference between the residual noise (without wind turbines) and the ambient noise (with wind turbines).

• Studies and on-site investigations carried out by independent nature conservation experts over a period covering all seasons can prevent damage to the natural environment and biodiversity.
• In particular, the studies aim to limit accidents involving migratory birds, birds of prey and bats, for example by not installing wind turbines in main flight corridors or at a sufficient distance from hedgerows.
• Technological development allows the inclusion of fencing and many other methods to further reduce potential impacts: Fencing for wind turbines during the main activity periods of bats, automatic detection systems to avoid collisions, scaring systems, etc.

Did you know?
The wind power sector is supported by the Ligue de Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), the ADEME and the Ministère de la Transition Écologique (Ministry of Ecological Transition). These partnerships have led to significant progress in the coexistence of wind energy and birdlife.

• The construction of wind turbines is governed by numerous regulations that promote respect for the landscape and the preservation of its homogeneity.
• Environmental impact assessments show the visual impact of wind turbines under different weather conditions and from different angles. They allow the creation of maps, photomontages and analyses (visual saturation, co-visibilities, visual impacts, etc.) that are accessible to all in the context of consultation processes and public consultation.
• The reduction of saturation takes into account numerous data and adapts to each territory by promoting landscape embedding and the preservation of breathing zones.

The value of a property is multifactorial. It is made up of objective criteria that are not affected by wind turbines (e.g. energy efficiency, location, accessibility, brightness, local amenities, etc.) and subjective criteria in which the presence of wind turbines can be an influencing factor. It is therefore difficult to find statistical data that proves the impact of the presence of wind turbines on the property market.

• According to the ADEME study published in June 2022 to analyse the price evolution of properties near wind farms, the statistically demonstrable impact is very low for houses located less than 5 km from a wind turbine. Beyond this distance, the impact is zero.
• Without wanting to rule out the possibility that there are special cases in which wind turbines have a stronger impact, the analysis shows that these special cases are extremely small.
• The study also concludes that the frequently mentioned phenomenon of "unsaleable goods" "cannot have a statistically observable and certainly not a massive character".

• France Renouvelables, Observatoire de l'éolien 2023
• True/false about onshore wind turbines from the Ministry of Ecological Transition
• Wind power survival kit: 11 points of reference on wind energy from France Renouvelables
• Paroles d'élus (2023) : Mayors committed to the development of wind energy and renewable energies in the territories