A $200,000 wind turbine installed at an Agriculture Canada research station on P.E.I. has been shut down because of complaints it's too noisy.

The turbine was installed to provide green energy to the research station in Harrington, north of Charlottetown, but operated for only two days before it was shut down for good.

The windmill is set back 300 metres from the road.
(CBC)

"We had a call from a neighbour complaining about the noise and that it caused ill health to them," said Mike Hennigar of Agriculture Canada, "so we made the decision to turn it off and further investigate what exactly was going on with it."

The neighbour was complaining of migraine headaches.

Agriculture Canada tested the noise at the foot of the tower with a decibel meter and measured 62 dB in high winds, a level of sound somewhere between a clothes dryer and a washing machine.

The department had an environmental assessment done before the 30-metre high, three-blade turbine was installed. The consultant said the location of the turbine, 300 metres from the road and 400 metres from the nearest house, should not cause any problem.

Hennigar said Agriculture Canada is considering relocating the turbine, which would cost about $120,000, or perhaps selling it. He said it would not be operating again at its current location.