Wind Shade Calculator
Do not operate the form until this page and its programme have loaded completely. If you are too fast, the programme will complain about missing data, and you will have to click reload. This calculator shows the shelter effect (wind shade) of blunt obstacles (buildings, trees) in any 30 degree sector near a wind turbine. You can change any number, except the results which are labelled with *. If the obstacle is too tall (more than half the hub height of your turbine) - or too close (less than five times the height of the obstacle) the programme will warn you that the results are uncertain, because the detailed geometry of the obstacle and the angle of the wind will have an important influence on the resulting effect. Please note that you only have to consider the percentage of wind energy coming from this direction cf. the wind rose, because the obstacle obviously only affects your turbine's energy output when the wind is coming from this particular direction.
If you have a fast computer or some patience you may plot the wind speed or wind energy profile behind the obstacle. (If the plot window disappears, it is probably hidden behind another window). You should have read about obstacles, roughness and porosity before using the calculator. |  |    |