Wind Speed at Height Calculator

Estimate wind speed at a different hub height using the power law wind profile relationship.

m/s
m
m

Wind Speed at Target Height

8.08 m/s

Speed Increase34.6 %
Power Ratio (V³ scaling)2.44

Wind Speed at Target Height vs Measured Wind Speed

Wind Speed Profile with Height

Wind speed generally increases with height above ground due to reduced surface friction. The power law provides a practical approximation.

Formula

V2 = V1 x (H2 / H1) ^ alpha

Where V1 is measured speed at height H1, H2 is the target height, and alpha is the wind shear exponent. The standard value of alpha is 1/7 (0.143) for open terrain. Forested or urban areas use higher values (0.2-0.3).

Example Calculation

Wind measured at 6 m/s at 10 m height. Estimate speed at 80 m hub height with alpha = 0.143.

  1. 01Height ratio = 80 / 10 = 8
  2. 02Speed factor = 8 ^ 0.143 = 1.353
  3. 03Speed at 80 m = 6 x 1.353 = 8.12 m/s
  4. 04Power ratio = 1.353³ = 2.477 (nearly 2.5x more wind power)

Frequently Asked Questions

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