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Power Coefficient (Cp) is a measure of wind turbine efficiency often used by the wind power industry. Cp
is the ratio of actual electric power produced by a wind turbine divided by the total wind power flowing
into the turbine blades at specific wind speed. When defined in this way, the power coefficient represents
the combined efficiency of the various wind power system componenets which include the turbine blades,
the shaft bearings and gear train, the generator and power electronics.
The Cp for a particular turbine is measured or calculated by the manufacturer, and usually provided at
various wind speeds. If you know the Cp at a given wind speed for a specific turbine you can use it to
estimate the electrical power output.
The Cp of a particular wind turbine varies with operating conditions such as wind speed, turbine blade
angle, turbine rotation speed, and other parameters. It is a measure of a particular wind turbine's overall
system efficiency. It should not be confused with, or compared to, wind power Capacity Factor.
As explained in the page on wind turbine efficiency, the power coefficient should only be used to
compare the performance of wind turbines. Cp has no relationship to the efficiencies of other electrical
power sources, such as solar, gas-turbine, a coal-fired steam plant, or any other non-wind driven system.
As shown in the formula to the right, we can write this expression with Cp as the
coefficient multiplied by Pin. If we know the Cp at a specific wind speed, we can multiply
it by Pin as calculated in the formula described below. This will tell us what the electrical
power actually produced by the turbine system will be at that wind speed (see the plot
below).
Total Wind Power - A Function of Wind Speed Cubed