Wind Energy Calculations: Power Curves, Capacity Factor & Weibull Wind
Calculate the power in the wind and the Betz limit, extrapolate wind shear to hub height, interpolate a power curve, model the wind climate with a Weibull distribution, sum the annual energy production with a chart, apply losses for the capacity factor and work out a simple LCOE: 8 graded labs for one illustrative wind farm.
The first lesson is free — no account needed.
About this course
A wind energy calculations course that sizes one illustrative ten-turbine wind farm in a spreadsheet, for engineering and energy students, renewable developers and analysts. You calculate air density, the swept area and the power in the wind with ½ρAv³, measure the power coefficient against the Betz limit and size a rotor, derive the wind shear exponent from a met mast and extrapolate to hub height, convert 10-minute wind speeds into output by interpolating the power curve, describe the wind climate with a Weibull distribution and the hours in every 1 m/s bin, add up the gross annual energy production with a chart, chain availability, wake and electrical losses into the net AEP and capacity factor and finish with a simple LCOE using the capital recovery factor. Illustrative numbers, educational only. The first lab is free.
Lessons
- Power in the Wind: Air Density, Swept Area & ½ρAv³Free
- Betz Limit, Power Coefficient Cp & Rotor Sizing Pro
- Wind Shear: Power-Law Exponent & Hub-Height Extrapolation Pro
- Power Curve Lookup with Linear Interpolation Pro
- Weibull Wind Distribution: Mean Speed, Bin Probabilities & Hours Pro
- Annual Energy Production: Σ Hours × Power (with Chart) Pro
- Losses, Net AEP & Capacity Factor of a Wind Farm Pro
- Simple LCOE of a Wind Farm with the Capital Recovery Factor Pro