Wind Turbine Capacity Factor Snapshot

Turn SCADA or meter data into a quick capacity factor for a wind turbine or farm. Supply the energy produced during your measurement window and the nameplate megawatts to benchmark performance, compare to P50 forecasts, or validate availability targets.

Total net energy delivered during the assessment window.
Rated capacity across all turbines measured.
Use actual metered hours if different from a full year.

For indicative benchmarking only; reconcile results with your OEM performance guarantees and energy settlement data.

Examples

  • 10,500 MWh over a year from a 5 MW turbine ⇒ capacity factor 23.97%, average output 1.20 MW.
  • 42,000 MWh in a 4,320-hour seasonal study for a 15 MW farm ⇒ capacity factor 64.81%, average output 9.72 MW.

FAQ

Can I include availability losses?

Yes. The energy input should already reflect downtime. If you want to normalise for availability, divide by hours the unit was available rather than total hours.

How do I compare to PPA guarantees?

Convert the capacity factor result into expected annual MWh and compare it to minimum delivery clauses or PPA targets.

What if my SCADA data is in kWh?

Convert to MWh (divide kWh by 1,000) before entering the energy value to keep units aligned.

Does this account for wake losses?

Wake, curtailment, and icing losses are already embedded in the measured energy. Running the calculation regularly helps track how mitigation work shifts the capacity factor.

Additional Information

  • Capacity factor compares actual energy to the energy that would be produced if the asset ran at nameplate output the entire window.
  • Use shorter measurement windows to validate commissioning phases or seasonal wind regimes.
  • Average output highlights how much power the asset delivered on a continuous basis during the period.

Related calculators