Wind Turbine Power Simulator
Change wind speed, blade length, pitch and blade number and see the power curve and Betz limit.
Change the wind speed and blade pitch. Drag the rotor to spin it by hand. The power curve shows where you are.
About the Wind Turbine Power Simulator
Free wind turbine power simulator. Change wind speed, blade length, pitch and blade number and see the power curve and Betz limit. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for engineering, the wind turbine power simulator runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Change wind speed, blade length, pitch and blade number and see the power curve and Betz limit. Use it to explore engineering ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Wind Turbine Power Simulator
- Use the controls to change Wind speed, Blade pitch angle, Blade length, Blades. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as 2, 3, 4 to switch modes or load an example.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Raise the wind speed from 6 to 12 m/s.
- Lengthen the blades to 80 m.
- Increase the wind to 30 m/s and watch the turbine park.
Key ideas you can learn
- Wind power = ½ ρ A v³ Cp.
- Doubling the wind speed gives eight times the power.
- Longer blades sweep a larger area (A = πR²).
- No turbine can capture more than 59.3% (Betz limit).
Where this is used in the real world
Wind farms supply a growing share of electricity, and engineers use power curves like this to plan them.
Who is this simulation for?
Engineering and technology students, makers, robotics clubs and teachers of design and technology. It gives a hands-on feel for how machines behave before you build a real one.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
How does wind speed affect power?
Power depends on the cube of the wind speed, so a small increase in wind gives a large increase in power.
Why do turbines stop in a storm?
Above the cut-out speed the blades are parked to avoid damage.
Is the Wind Turbine Power Simulator free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Wind Turbine Power Simulator work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.