A new study has found that wind turbines do not reduce
property values.
Even authors Richard
Vyn and Ryan McCullough of the University of Guelph say they are surprised by
what they found in checking property sales and prices.
The surprising findings, published in the Canadian Journal
of Agricultural Economics, come amid an already fiery debate over
wind farm impacts and appear to contradict widely-held views among turbine
critics.
The study focused on Ontario's Melancthon township
– home to one of the country's oldest and largest wind farms – and
surrounding areas.
"The lack of significant effects of the Melancthon
wind farm is somewhat surprising, given the public outcry regarding
the construction of these turbines," according to the authors.
"These results do not corroborate the concerns raised
by residents regarding potential negative impacts of turbines
on property values."
The researchers analyzed more than 7,000 home and
farm sales that occurred between 2002 and 2010 in Melancthon Township,
which saw 133 turbines put up between 2005 and 2008, and 10 surrounding
townships.
Of those, more than 1,000 homes and farms were sold
more than once, some several times.
"These turbines have not impacted the value of
surrounding properties," they write in their report.
"Further, the nature of the results, which indicate a
lack of significant effects, is similar across both rural
residential properties and farm properties."
Vyn said he found the results somewhat surprising given
the frequent and public criticisms of turbines.
