Frost fan progress in Waihopai valley

I see the Marlborough Express are reporting that there is progress in the long running dispute over frost fans up the Waihopai valley.
This particular problem area appeared to be mainly concerning the ludicrous (former) district plan rule that allowed fans within 100m of an adjoining neighbours house.
Don't get me wrong, that rule is still in place for existing fans (pre 2010ish). But nowadays the most recent plan change (currently under appeal by the whine growers) is anticipated to be a little more sensible.
I see they (Waihopai Holdings) want to have the fan pretty close still and have employed an acoustic expert to determine how best to achieve the process. As a result they intend to build a large hay bale wall.
That should be quite a sight! I imagine it would be effective in blocking noise, but I'm also imagining it would have to be pretty large. Interesting.
HOWEVER, what's caught my eye was the mention that one of the mitigation methods put in as a condition is INCREASING the speed of the fan!
I quote "Waihopai Holdings' expert witness Jeremy Trevathen said slightly increasing the speed of the fan would raise the noise level, but would reduce annoying special audible characteristics".
Increasing the speed decreases the SAC? At first blush that appears to be something straight from left field.
I honestly don't know how to approach it since it flies in the face of what I accept to be logic.
But I do know one thing.
Any testing that was carried out by Jeremy Trevathan (not 'Trevathen' as reported in the Express) is not independent.
He's a colleague of John Pearse from the University of Canterbury. The same bloke who designed and built the Defender (or at least the original MK1).
Dr Pearses testing relied on simulation of noise via the CONCAWE method, which frankly fiddled the numbers. Trevathan's his mate and he reckons that if you turn up the speed on a Defender the Special Audible Characteristics go down.
That smells.
That smells more that a 35m wall of hay that's beendecomposing too long

Frost Fan Activity 10 October 2011

Another frost with fans going from about 2am. Hard work staying alert through the day.
In the Marlborough Express I see Andrew Naylor rates growing grapes above peoples health. Good man. Those meddling people are what's messing up the place. Drive 'em back to the cities where they belong!
But do not fear, the valiant frost fighters of Marlborough will continue to battle on your behalf to make sure that the overseas profits of big corporations are secured and you can enjoy the sweet nectar of the vine.

Frost Fan Activity 9 October 2011

Noisy frost on the 9th. Woken up about 2am.