It’s a fact – wind turbines need to be tall in order to be able to fully harness the wind to generate electricity.  Although they cannot fully blend into the landscape, wind turbines can be harmoniously integrated with the surrounding environment.  For Kruger Energy’s team of specialists, integrating wind turbines into Montérégie’s landscape is a constant concern.

People’s perception of wind turbines has been studied and measured since wind turbines were first erected in Québec.  According to a September 2007 SENERGIS – Multi Réso (see article) survey of 1000 respondents, half of whom lived near a wind farm, 60% of the respondents living within 10 km of a wind turbine thought it was “very nice or quite nice”, compared to 68% who could see wind turbines from outside their homes.  More generally, 61% of all Quebeckers were of the same opinion.

Twenty-six photomontages were prepared based on technical considerations and the concerns expressed by the organizations consulted in Montérégie.  This map shows all of the photomontages.  Click on each number on the map to see the corresponding visual simulation.

In conclusion, the aesthetic appreciation of wind turbines is a personal matter, but most Quebeckers seem to like them.  Finally, the SENERGIS – Multi Réso survey reports that 80% of residents support the production of wind energy, that less than 10% are opposed to it and that the rest are undecided.