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Humming wind turbines in Schorndorf: changing the gearbox provides hope
Schorndorf: Noise pollution from the Königseiche wind farm leads to its closure. Residents demand compliance with pollution control.
Humming wind turbines in Schorndorf: changing the gearbox provides hope
At the Königseiche wind farm in Schorndorf, no rotor movements have been observed since February 2025. The rotors, which were only put into operation on December 20, 2024, were shut down due to massive noise pollution from residents in Baiereck. They complained about annoying humming tones and low-frequency noises that were already heard before Christmas 2024. The detailed troubleshooting in the wind farm has now been completed, and the operator Uhl-Windkraft and the manufacturer Nordex have decided to replace the wind turbine gearboxes in order to reduce the noise intensity. [ZVW].
The reasons for the extreme noise pollution could not be fully determined after more than two months. A citizens' initiative called Pro Schurwald actively dealt with the problem and reported to the Göppingen district office on February 21, 2025 about their analog analysis of the noises. This initiative calls for the wind turbines to be decommissioned in accordance with Section 20 Paragraph 2 of the Federal Immission Control Act because the building and licensing requirements are apparently not being met. As of March 6, 2025, the systems were taken out of operation until further notice.
Noise checking and health risks
During its investigation, the citizens' initiative found a high tonality of 6 dB(A) in accordance with DIN 45681. The assessed assessment level of up to 45 dB(A) exceeded the nighttime emission guideline value of 40 dB(A) by 5 dB(A). This leads to significant concerns about the health of residents, as excessive noise emissions, especially low-frequency ones, are considered dangerous to human health. The city administration and the environmental protection office have recognized the noise problem; This underlines the urgency of measures to adapt the operating modalities of all wind turbines.Federal Environment Agency
In addition, residents in Uhingen and Baiereck report massive complaints that have been heard from the surrounding towns. The strong noise and the negative impact on living comfort have caused property values in the region to fall by an estimated 26 million euros. The citizens' initiative therefore not only demands compliance with the legal framework, but also the district office's own investigation of the facts in order to ensure a proper examination of the operating conditions of the wind turbines.
Wind turbines play a crucial role in promoting sustainable energy and achieving climate goals. However, it is important that legal requirements are strictly adhered to when implementing them in order to avoid undue burden on local residents. The current situation in Schorndorf shows once again how important the discussion about noise and environmental protection is in the wind power industry.