Sounds like we need to break some pipes and jam some fans then.
this post was submitted on 16 May 2026
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me_irl
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But wind turbines can't talk to me like an anime girlfriend.
I'll he honest: they look like dog shit
They're everywhere in the Netherlands and they're definitely polluting the view
Having said that; it's about the only negative thing I can come up with, we need more of these because of course we do
historic windmill that does jack shit : 😍
Modern windmill that makes the same electricity that makes modern life (refrigeration, lights and computers) possible : 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
Wind turbines sound like airplanes
Are you comparing the indoor volume inside a data center to the volume of a wind turbine? Because I don't think people are living inside data centers...
That's the volume outside. There's also the low-frequency noise that travels even farther, isn't measured by most decibel meters, but still produces unpleasant results.
The infrasound is so low frequency that instead of using a decibal meter you have to use a seismometer, like for measuring earthquakes
Its external. The massive power and cooling requirements cause massive noise from fans, transformers etc. Funnily enough, the same applies to solar farms.
Source for solar farms being loud? Why would they need fans or transformers?
CPUs and GPUs also don't make a sound, but data centers do.
Do you even own a computer?
I assume you must be a troll cuz you can't be that stupid. Or you have never owned a computer
It's the cooling and the hardware that makes the noise. Not the logic circuitry.
Heres the first google result.
https://kingswaysolarcommunityaction.co.uk/solar-farm-noise-pollution-uk/
So are you/they saying that fossil fuel power plants don’t make as much noise? I would disagree with that.
1: FF plants should also have inverters and transformers, I doubt they make electricity in exactly the way we want on the lines, just like solar.
2: Ff plants have a fuck ton of machinery and people and fumes that are constantly being emitted in addition to the pretty minimal noise from transformers or whatever.
On point 1, as far as I understand, generally since they use fossil fuels to hear water and generate steam to spin turbines, the generators output grid-compatible AC right away
That’s certainly possible! I don’t know if it’s true or not, since my arguments there are entirely speculative on my end, without any real evidence backing them. I’m currently not able to do any real research to support my claims, so unless this gets more attention, I’ll just leave it at that, speculation
Voltage at the generation end is limited by the practical limits of insulating the windings (coils of wire in the generator that need to be close together but insulated from each other), usually top out about 25 kV for steam or gas turbines. This would usually be stepped up to 275 kV or 400 kV for long distance transmission, then back down to 33 kV for local distribution (at least in the UK).
Different solar panels generate different voltages, also depends on how they're wired together. Not sure what the big solar parks use, but much lower than a fossil fuel plant for sure. That's DC, so needs converted to AC and stepped up for transmission. Some smaller solar farms are connected straight into distribution networks.
Both power transformers and DC/AC converters do give off a bit of a hum at 50/60 Hz, but again shouldn't be anywhere close to the noise of a FF plant.
Ahh right, I was wondering if voltage levels would be compatible, that makes sense. Thanks!
No im not. Loudest machines I've measured so far have been diesels. Most owned by assholes.
Never have been near a data center, but walked under windmills: from about 100 meters you hear the "whoom-whoom-whoom" sound, and if you walk right under, it gets uncomfortable because of added vibrations. But it's nothing terrible and neither it can be heard from a big distance - the noise didn't make us regret our walk under the windmills - we talked normally under them, etc
Idk about data centers, but if they use the same cooling towers as other industries, those are fucking loud
This is a bullshit comparison. Data center are not loud when compared to other industries. The issue with sind turbines isn't even their noise level but the low frequency bit. Loudness must be normalized to a distance. Also a motor cycle is like 110db or so. When tuned to be loud. Giving that value is horse hockey and manipulative.
Wind turbines might actually affect property values. But that's a bullshit concern.
The issue is that window turbines tend to be perceived as harm reduction when compared with other power sources. Wind turbines do in fact cause harm, but much less than fossil alternatives.
Data centers tend to not be perceived as harm reduction but actual consumption, as you could just not use their services.
There is some validity to both perspectives, but they both can induce demand and consumption.
Doesn't mean you are wrong, just that your arguments are non factual propaganda.
Wind turbines do in fact cause harm
Such as...? Property values of coastal golf courses?
Also, do you mean low frequency noise like this?
Wind turbines do take up space, cause deaths and disproportionately affect large birds of prey which are already very stressed due to habitat loss etc. They require roads and cause mayor disruptions when transported. At least around here.
They are much better than fossil power, though.
Also, data centers tend to be built in industrial parks and not in residential areas, but america may just be built different.
The comment history on this one shows a lot of weird data center sympathy and criticisms for Ukraine.
I thought they were a Russian bot but it's more like a victim of Russian bots propaganda.
Wind turbines kill less birds than houses and any building like data centers.
Data centers are loud in sound and dangerous infrasound.
This person doesn't even care about birds just wants a talking point against wind turbines.
You are quite dense for I am neither. Not am I talking about wind turbines being the worse choose, but a harmful choice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bP80DEAbuo A bit longer but very interesting video about infrasonic noise from data centers