Last week a 1.5 MW wind turbine collapsed at NextEra Energy Resources' Mill Run wind farm in Pennsylvania
but the dramatic 2008 collapse of a turbine at Hornslet
See below for amazing video.) No one was injured.
“Turbine failure is extremely rare but something we obviously take very seriously,” says [Nextra spokesperson Steven] Stengel
“We've engaged our experts that are currently at the site investigating the cause
The other nine turbines are currently not operating.”
So why is this good news? Let's pitch that big ol' softball to John Hanger:
A collapse of a wind turbine is as bad as it gets at a wind farm
But wind at its worst does not cause 300,000 customers to lose water service
It does not cause a fireball that levels homes and kills 47 people sleeping in their homes
as happened with an oil train explosion in Canada. Wind at its worst does not cover vast portions of the Gulf of Mexico with oil
Worst that could happen is you get a sunburn.
PAUL RAUBER is a senior editor at Sierra
of the happily outdated Strategic Ignorance: Why the Bush Administration Is Recklessly Destroying a Century of Environmental Progress. Otherwise he is a cyclist
Sierra Club® and "Explore, enjoy and protect the planet"® are registered trademarks of the Sierra Club. © Sierra Club 2025.The Sierra Club Seal is a registered copyright
YouTubers have been enjoying some spectacular footage of the disintegration of a Danish wind turbine which ended up a bit broken after its brakes failed:
The suicidal turbine was located at Hornslet near Aarhus
the 60m-high structure was ten years old and manufactured by Vestas
Engineers who attended the scene were unable to prevent the break-up
Its death was one of two in the space of a week
and Denmark's climate minister has called for a probe into the failures
Send us news
The Register Biting the hand that feeds IT
Your car or truck’s horn probably isn’t something you think about very often
Or maybe you’ve decided that you’re tired of the wimpy factory horn and want something that’ll give you a little bit more authority in traffic
Or you’ve decided that your car is too cool for that standard parp parp and you want something with a little more flair
our picks for the best car horns can deliver more noise
and even better looks than the boring honker that came with your vehicle
For more information on the best car horns
If you've ever seen a big pair of round horns lurking behind a front grille
the horn of choice for what seems like all Subaru WRX and STI owners
this is a top pick for an aftermarket car horn if you're looking to swap out your mundane factory units
So what exactly is so appealing about this recommendation
How about the 118 dB(A) twin-tone high-low sound that makes sure everyone around can hear you
Or those fresh red looks (you can get yellow if you really want to)
The beep-sound of these horns work amazingly to penetrate into other vehicles
plus they have Teflon bits inside to protect from humidity and the red finish protects against corrosion
These horns are ideal for being seen and heard both on-road and off (HELLA says they're great for off-road vehicles and motorbikes too)
The one that takes you right back to the classic cars of the 1920s
though we're not sure if they even actually used horns back then
bringing back those old memories with a modern 12-volt format
it looks the right amount of vintage for old cars
This car horn delivers 110 dB with a 490Hz sound
and it will take everyone around you back to the days of classic motoring
All without you needing to squeeze a bellows
or figure out how to make an ancient 6V horn work with a modern car battery
this option comes with a mounting bolt and two connecting terminals for easy installation and setup
This is the ideal car horn for those who want something truly unique
We're not sure if anyone will take you seriously
The Wolo Juke Box will do more than just a boring old honk
It'll play any one of 34 songs pre-programmed into the device like On the Road Again
this horn comes with a control box that has a keyboard function
So you can program your car's horn to play just about any song you can think of
as long as you can figure out what notes to play
That means you can make your own ice cream truck noises
or have your car play this year's hot summer jam every time someone cuts you off in traffic
It will let you adjust the volume level as well
so you aren't bothering too many people around you and it's covered by a 90-day guarantee
So if you truly want to customize your car horn
Not only is PIAA a long-time name brand in car horns
the company is well known for various other automotive accessories such as fog lights and windshield wipers
This recommendation is a great modification to boost your car's signal or replace a sad-sounding factory horn
They come as a pair with a 500 hz and a 600 hz horn offering a high-low tone that blasts at 115 dB
this is a bit of the Ferrari chirp sound that is part of that brand's iconic status
The manufacturer says these horns are twice as loud as standard horns
you don't need upgraded wiring to make them honk
The slim-fit design lets them fit into factory locations and that means they won't become part of your vehicle's styling until you hit the button
easy upgrade that will be a good amount louder than your factory horn
A compressor and an array of four horns like this one will give you train-like levels of noise
because you might blast everyone else off of the road
If you want to ensure you're noticed when engaging your car's horn
While it likely needs professional installation
since you're going to need to find room for the air compressor and lines as well as that large number of actual horns
you'll probably find all that effort worthwhile the first time you use it
The kit includes everything you need including solenoids
Made entirely of metal and sporting a black shade for most of its components
this kit is durable and will be protected against all weather conditions if you end up having to mount the tank on the exterior of your vehicle
you can also pair it with a high-note horn for a two-tone blast of sound
Putting out a whopping 133 dB of sound (measured at four inches from the outlet) this horn puts out some of the loudest volume on this entire list
The steel housing and ABS plastic snail-curve inlet help protect the horn from water and corrosion
and FIAMM is one of the largest maker of car horns in the world so you know that they know what they're doing
With a manufacturing process that meets multiple ISO standards
This recommendation comes with a bracket to attach to your vehicle and a jumper wire to hook up the second horn if you complete the set
There is also a nut and wire connector to finish the job
you'll easily find a place to mount this horn on your vehicle
That might be a bit loud if you're making a friendly horn chirp
Air horns are the loudest horns you can get
This one shrinks all of that into a space that is larger than a simple electric horn but still pretty small
The manufacturer says that this small air horn can output 150 dB
and it has two horns for a 600 Hz low and 760 Hz high-tone sound
The small compressor requires beefier wiring than your car might offer stock
It even comes with an air filter that attaches to the pump intake and helps protect the inside components for long life and better performance which should let it get loud and stay loud for plenty of use
And if those requirements don't satisfy your needs
take a look at the other options the company has to offer
Sometimes you just want to have fun with your horn
and while you might want the one that goes with your favorite TV show
playing La Cucaracha through a set of five specially-tuned air horns
and playing that song will ensure you get attention
even if you don't have it installed in your low rider but in your Camry instead
the system requires some additional wiring and a relay
but all of that is included in the box making for easier installation
The kit also includes mounting hardware to let you install the five trumpets and compressor in a convenient location
So make yourself grin every time someone cuts you off
And if La Cucaracha isn't your exact song of choice
the company offers various other tunes including La Bamba and Tequila
We're not sure what Professional means when it comes to a car horn
but we're going to assume that it means it's intended for heavy use
Maybe a big-city taxi or a left-lane hog German sports sedan
What we do know is that ACDelco is the in-house General Motors automotive replacement parts brand
so the company knows how to design and build parts that meet new-car specs
this horn is designed to meet OEM fitment requirements and it comes with all of the installation hardware
that you should need to get your vehicle chirping again quickly
it should be similar volume as your stock horn and it should draw the same amount of current
Installation should be a snap to replace your tired and broken old horn
This is the ideal option for car owners who just want to replace their horn with something of similar volume
SEGER offers a pair of snail horns that can blast at up to 118 dB(A)
a figure the company says is the highest for the size of the horns
This is a compact set that is designed to fit into any vehicle
even if the factory only sent you home with a single-tone
The sound level is designed to meet EU regulations and is marked with TUV approval
an important German vehicle regulations and standards group
With a low tone of 420 Hz and a high tone of 500 Hz
this horn upgrade is even more likely to get you noticed because it's just a slightly different note than most of the other choices here
That makes your sound stand out and it's going to make people look and see what's going on
Because two horns need more current than a single horn
this kit includes a relay to let you install a dedicated power wire to the car's battery
but still use the factory horn switch mounted in the steering wheel
That's a safe and easy upgrade to stand out on the road
Photo credit: studiostoks / Shutterstock.com
Some automakers use just a small single-tone horn that you can barely hear on a good day
Some drivers want to add a more musical flourish to their daily drive
Whatever your reason for not liking the factory part
the only way to change it is with an upgrade
If you're happy with the factory tone but just need a new one
Don't end up with one of the musical choices on the list and get a big surprise next time you chirp
if you don't want the extra installation work of an air horn
you'll want to stick with a simple electric option
Most electric car horns are just plug and play
often in the engine bay or behind the bumper cover
If you're looking at an upgrade or an air horn
Louder horns often need a wire run from the battery to power them
and then wired into the existing horns system using a relay
If you're not comfortable with electrical work
that need you to both add the electrical connections
but also to install air lines and multiple horn trumpets
just finding space for everything can be a challenge
Read the kit directions carefully and don't be afraid to call a pro
We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works
Evan moved from engineering to automotive journalism 10 years ago (it turns out cars are more interesting than fibreglass pipes)
but has been following the auto industry for his entire life
Evan is an award-winning automotive writer and photographer and is the current President of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
or complaining that tiny sports cars are too small for his XXXL frame
More by Evan Williams
I'm not even sure as to the point of this article
None of the horns analyzed here were actually tested by anyone for the purpose of this article
All the writer did was summarize the manufacturers own product descriptions
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