Wind Availability-Adjusted Capacity Factor Calculator

Normalize wind farm performance by stripping out mechanical availability and grid curtailment so underlying wind resource quality is clear, while also reporting net annual energy.

Net capacity factor observed over the period.
Share of time turbines were capable of operating. Defaults to 97% when blank.
Energy curtailed due to grid limits. Defaults to 4% when blank.
Plant AC nameplate used to estimate annual energy. Defaults to 100 MW when blank.

Screening tool only. Validate with SCADA data, met mast correlations, and contractual definitions for availability and curtailment.

Examples

  • 46% measured CF, 97% availability, 4% curtailment, 100 MW plant ⇒ Weather-only CF 49.48% and annual energy 402,960.00 MWh.
  • 38% measured CF with availability left blank (defaults 97%), curtailment 2%, 250 MW nameplate ⇒ Weather-only CF 39.18% and annual energy 832,200.00 MWh.

FAQ

What is a weather-only capacity factor?

It approximates how the site would perform if turbines were fully available and unconstrained by grid limits, isolating wind resource quality and wake effects from operational downtime.

How should I treat icing losses?

If icing is operational downtime, include it in availability. If it reflects weather conditions reducing aerodynamic performance, leave it inside the measured capacity factor.

Why cap the normalized factor at 100%?

Normalization can inflate results when downtime is high. Capping at 100% prevents overclaiming wind resource strength beyond the theoretical maximum.

Additional Information

  • Result unit: capacity factors as percentages and annual energy in megawatt-hours.
  • Availability defaults to 97% to reflect modern turbine reliability; curtailment defaults to 4% unless site-specific data are provided.
  • Nameplate defaults to 100 MW when omitted to keep energy estimates transparent.

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