Wind Turbine Noise Calculator

Sound radiates outward from the hub in all directions, so the true distance a sound wave travels to reach you is the slant distance, not the flat ground distance — the calculator computes this as the hypotenuse of your horizontal distance and the hub height. A taller turbine at the same horizontal setback is actually farther from a nearby listener in real terms, which is why hub height matters to the noise result even though it isn't a horizontal setback itself.

Sound levels in decibels are logarithmic, and for identical, uncorrelated sources the correct combination rule is 10×log₁₀(number of sources) added to the single-source level — not simple addition. Doubling the turbine count only adds about 3 dB, which is a noticeable but far smaller jump than doubling the raw sound level would suggest.

Decibels represent a logarithmic ratio of sound power, so the calculator converts both the turbine level and background level back to linear power (10^(level/10)), sums them, and converts the total back to decibels — the correct way to combine two independent sound sources. Simply adding the dBA numbers directly would overstate the combined level; power-summing is what produces a physically accurate result.

45 dBA at the property line is a commonly cited limit in wind turbine siting guidelines, and the calculator uses it as the default compliance check against your total turbine sound level. Actual regulatory limits vary significantly by jurisdiction — some are stricter, some looser, and some vary by time of day — so check your local ordinance for the limit that actually applies to your project rather than relying on this default.