New Swedish App Enables the Public to Check Wind Turbine Noise

SoundSim360 is now available for both iOS and Android. The app is based on 25 years of research and enables individuals, community groups and municipalities to quickly check calculated noise levels from wind turbines.

SoundSim360 is now available for both iOS and Android. The app is based on 25 years of research and enables individuals, community groups and municipalities to quickly check calculated noise levels from wind turbines.

Swedish technology company Pronumerix AB is now launching SoundSim360 for both iOS and Android. The app enables individuals, local community groups, municipalities and other stakeholders to simulate wind turbine noise levels themselves and assess how the calculated levels compare with applicable guideline values, such as the Swedish limit of 40 dBA.

SoundSim360 has been developed to make advanced noise calculations more accessible to the public. Questions relating to wind turbine noise are often technically complex, and the underlying assessments are typically prepared by consultants, project developers or wind farm operators. With the app, Pronumerix aims to give more people the opportunity to carry out an independent check and gain a better understanding of how sound levels can be affected by distance, terrain and other physical factors.

The app is based on more than 25 years of research in numerical sound propagation, scientific computing and acoustic modelling. The technology behind SoundSim360 takes into account factors that can have a major impact on how sound actually propagates through the landscape, including topography, ground properties and atmospheric conditions. These factors can affect sound levels at nearby homes, particularly under weather conditions that allow sound to propagate farther than usual.

– We developed SoundSim360 to give ordinary people a tool that allows them to check and understand noise calculations themselves. Access to computational tools should not be limited to developers and consultants. If people are affected by a planned wind farm development, they should also be able to examine the underlying assessments in a way that is understandable, says Professor Ken Mattsson, co-founder of Pronumerix AB.

SoundSim360 has been designed to be fast and easy to use. Users can place wind turbines, specify relevant parameters and calculate sound levels in the surrounding area. The results can help users understand planned or existing wind farm developments and provide a basis for further discussion with municipalities, authorities or project developers.

The app is particularly relevant in areas where new wind farms are being planned, or where residents want to understand the combined noise impact from existing and planned turbines. By making the calculations more transparent, Pronumerix aims to contribute to better decision-making and a more fact-based discussion about wind turbine noise.

SoundSim360 was already featured by The Epoch Times on 10 August. With the app now available on both the App Store and Google Play, Pronumerix hopes to reach more users in Sweden and internationally.

– Wind turbine noise is influenced by more than just the distance from the turbines. The atmosphere, ground and terrain can significantly alter sound propagation. This is why we need tools that account for the relevant physics while remaining simple enough to be used by a wide range of people, says Ken Mattsson.

SoundSim360 is now available on the App Store and Google Play.

Contact

Ken Mattsson

Pronumerix AB

E-post: ken.mattsson@pronumerix.com

Webb: pronumerix.com

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soundsim360/id6760180092

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pronumerix.soundsim360&hl=en