France has the potential to generate much of its electricity from wind power within three decades, yet local opposition persists. In Aisne, residents near wind turbines describe a troubling 'wind syndrome,' raising questions about health and quality of life.
A 2015 Mediapart report highlighted an Ademe study envisioning France producing 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2050, including hydropower, solar, geothermal, biomass, biogas, marine, and wind energy. Hauts-de-France hosts France's largest wind farm with more than 2,000 turbines. As noted in a July 2, 2020, LCI article, a quarter of these are in Aisne.
In Marle, home to about 2,300 people, new turbines have sparked backlash. Residents cite landscape disruption, interference with phone and TV signals, and potential health risks.
For years, Marle locals have reported 'wind syndrome.' A 2015 issue of Environment, Risks & Health (PDF in French / 3 pages) detailed symptoms like stress, sleep disruption, fatigue, irritability, dizziness, and tinnitus, often linked to turbine noise.
Infrasound—invisible low-frequency sounds—raises direct health concerns. Local doctor Dr. Bernardeau, interviewed by LCI, criticized turbines for emitting these waves.
"When the propeller spins, it produces air pressure on the mast. With the wind, it sends a wave at 380 meters per second. Tests in Finland show infrasound detectable up to 30 kilometers away," he explained.
A 2017 Academy of Medicine report (PDF in French / 38 pages) cataloged more than 150 symptoms. The SOS danger éolien association, led by Dr. Bernardeau's wife, points to international studies on infrasound harms, noting a lack of similar research in France amid economic pressures. Offshore turbines may offer a solution.
