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Calcimator

Wind Power Density

Calculate wind power density (W/m²) from average wind speed, air density, and Weibull shape factor. Includes NREL wind class and sample turbine output estimates.

Inputs

m/s
kg/m³

Results

Avg Power Density

401.2 W/m²

Wind Resource Quality

Good

Instant Power Density210.1 W/m²
NREL Wind Class4
Annual Energy Density3,514.9 kWh/m²/yr
Sample 3m Turbine Power992.9 W
Sample Turbine Annual8,697.8 kWh/yr
Weibull Correction1.91
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Average Wind Speed (m/s or mph) from anemometer data or NOAA wind resource maps.
  2. Set Air Density (kg/m³) — standard is 1.225 at sea level; use lower values at altitude or high temperature.
  3. Enter the Weibull shape factor (k) — typically 2 for most wind regimes.
  4. Review Avg Power Density (W/m²) and NREL Wind Class (1–7) to assess site wind resource quality.
  5. Use Annual Energy Density and Sample Turbine Power to estimate potential electricity generation for a small wind project.

How the result changes with Average Wind Speed

Average Wind SpeedAvg Power DensityWind Resource Quality
3.4548 W/m²Poor
111,557 W/m²Superb
209,358.3 W/m²Superb
2723,025 W/m²Superb

What each input means

Average Wind Speed
Mean wind speed at hub height in meters per second. Typical hub heights are 30-100m. Good wind sites average 6-9 m/s.
Air Density
Air density in kg/m³. Standard sea-level density is 1.225. Decreases with altitude (~1.1 at 1000m, ~1.0 at 2000m).
Weibull Shape Factor (k)
Weibull distribution shape parameter describing wind speed variability. k=2 (Rayleigh) is typical. Higher k means more consistent winds.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    Average Wind Speed = 7, Air Density = 1.225, Weibull Shape Factor (k) = 2 = 3 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Avg Power Density
    Avg Power Density
    401.24 = 401.24
  3. Calculate Wind Resource Quality
    Wind Resource Quality
    Good = Good
  4. Calculate Instant Power Density
    Instant Power Density
    210.09 = 210.09
  5. Calculate NREL Wind Class
    NREL Wind Class
    4 = 4

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