Interactive Tool
Wind Curtailment Cost Calculator
Estimate how much renewable electricity is lost when wind farms are curtailed, and what that means for constraint payments, foregone generation and implied consumer costs.
Calculator Inputs
Working with real curtailment assumptions?
This calculator gives a simplified estimate of curtailment costs. A full view also depends on grid location, constraint patterns, CfD structure, balancing costs, storage, flexibility, hydrogen demand, industrial offtake and policy design.
If you are working on curtailment, flexibility, storage, hydrogen production or grid-constrained infrastructure, I am interested in comparing assumptions.
What This Tool Shows
Wind curtailment occurs when renewable electricity is available but cannot be used because of grid congestion, system balancing limits or insufficient demand at the right location and time.
Core Formula
Annual generation is calculated from installed capacity, hours per year and capacity factor. Curtailment cost is then estimated from the share of generation lost and the assumed value per MWh.
Typical Inputs
- Capacity: 1,000 MW
- Capacity factor: 45%
- Curtailment: 10%
- Power value: £80/MWh
- Constraint payment: £120/MWh
This is a simplified estimate. Real curtailment economics depend on grid location, constraint patterns, CfD structure, balancing costs, storage, flexibility, hydrogen demand and policy design.