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Saturday, Mar. 7, 2026

Can shadow flicker from wind turbines trigger seizures in people with epilepsy?

Sue Bin Park, Skeptical Science
no

The flicker of a wind turbine shadow is far below the minimum frequency required to trigger photosensitive epilepsy.

A wind turbine is said to produce a “shadow flicker” when its rotating blades pass between the sun and an observer, creating a repeating pattern of light and shadow.

Photosensitive epilepsy is triggered at frequencies of 3 Hz or higher, or 3 flashes of light per second. Wind turbines generate flicker frequencies of 0.5 to 1 Hz, well below the known minimum trigger frequency.

One study calculated that a typical three-blade turbine would need to operate at 60 rotations per minute (rpm) to potentially trigger photosensitive epilepsy. Modern turbines operate at maximum speeds of only 15 to 17 rpm.

Research and public health surveys have not established a phenomenon of wind turbine-induced photosensitive seizures.

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