Wind Turbine Profit Calculator — Payback & ROI
Estimate the financial return of a wind turbine investment. Enter the rated capacity, capacity factor, electricity price, installation cost and O&M cost to get the payback period, lifetime ROI and levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
kW
%
$/kWh
$
$
years
Years until cumulative revenue recovers the installation cost
- 1
Annual energy: rating × CF × 8 760 h
2,000 kW × 0.35 × 8 760 = 6,132,000 kWh - 2
Annual revenue: energy × price
6,132,000 kWh × $0.06/kWh = $367,920 - 3
Annual net cash flow: revenue − O&M
$367,920 − $60,000 = $307,920 - 4
Simple payback: CapEx ÷ net cash flow
$3,000,000 ÷ $307,920 = 9.7
How does this calculator work?
Annual energy = rating × CF × 8 760 h. Net annual cash = (energy × price) − O&M. Payback = CapEx ÷ net cash. Lifetime ROI = (net cash × lifetime − CapEx) ÷ CapEx. Adjust the electricity price, capacity factor and costs for your country — they vary widely.
Formula
How this is calculated
A wind turbine generates revenue by selling electricity. Annual energy output equals the rated capacity multiplied by the capacity factor (the fraction of rated output actually delivered over a year, accounting for wind variability and downtime) and by the 8 760 hours in a year. Multiplying annual energy by the electricity sale price gives gross revenue; subtracting annual operations-and-maintenance (O&M) costs gives net annual cash flow.
The simple payback period is the installation cost divided by annual net cash flow — the number of years to break even. Over the full project lifetime (typically 20–25 years for modern turbines), lifetime net profit equals net annual cash flow times the lifetime minus the initial capital expenditure. The levelised cost of energy (LCOE) spreads the total cost (CapEx plus lifetime O&M) over the total energy produced, giving a comparable cost per kWh regardless of project size.
All financial figures are estimates. Electricity prices, capacity factors, tax incentives, financing costs and O&M escalation all vary significantly by country and project; the 2024-era defaults are editable starting points. This calculator uses simple (undiscounted) cash flows — for a rigorous investment analysis including net present value and discount rate, consult a financial model.
Frequently asked questions
Onshore wind turbines typically pay back their capital cost in 5–15 years depending on the wind resource, electricity price and financing. With lifespans of 20–25 years, well-sited projects can achieve strong long-term returns. The defaults here are illustrative 2024-era figures — adjust them to your specific project.
LCOE spreads the total lifetime cost (CapEx plus cumulative O&M) over the total energy produced, giving a cost per kWh that can be compared directly to electricity prices or other generation technologies. Modern onshore wind LCOE is typically $0.02–0.06/kWh in good sites.
The capacity factor determines how much energy is actually produced. A turbine with a 40 % capacity factor produces 60 % more energy than the same turbine at 25 % — and therefore 60 % more revenue for the same capital investment. Site selection to maximise the capacity factor is the single most important project variable.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Wind Turbine Profit Calculator — Payback & ROI [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/wind-turbine-profit-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Wind Turbine Profit Calculator — Payback & ROI." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/wind-turbine-profit-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Wind Turbine Profit Calculator — Payback & ROI," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/wind-turbine-profit-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_wind_turbine_profit_calculator, title = {Wind Turbine Profit Calculator — Payback & ROI}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/wind-turbine-profit-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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