Work out wind farm capacity instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Installed capacity is simply turbine rating times count, but wake losses of 5-15% mean the array delivers less than the sum of its parts. Layouts typically space turbines 5-9 rotor diameters apart downwind and 3-5 crosswind, which sets the site area and a power density of 3-6 MW per square kilometre.
Wind farm capacity
Installed capacity = turbine rating x number of turbines; effective = installed x (1 - wake loss)
Site area
Area = 7D x 4D x turbines, with D the rotor diameter
A turbine extracts energy from the wind and leaves a slower, more turbulent wake. Downwind turbines see reduced wind speed, and because power varies with the cube of speed, even a small deficit costs output.
No. Turbine foundations and access roads occupy 1-3% of the site area; the rest remains available for farming or grazing, which is why wind leases coexist with agriculture.