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Wind Turbine Payback Calculator

Payback period and lifetime return for a wind turbine installation.

Enter values

Results update as you type.

Result

Payback period

10.74 years

First-year net income
$1,800.00
Lifetime net income
$59,467.39
Net gain
$34,467.39
Return on investment
137.9%
Cost per kWh generated
0.1042

About the Wind Turbine Payback Calculator

Payback period and lifetime return for a wind turbine installation.

Also known as: wind turbine roi, is a wind turbine worth it, turbine break even, wind investment return.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter installed cost, annual generation, value per kwh, annual maintenance and the other fields.
  2. The result updates instantly as you type — press Calculate (or Enter) at any time.
  3. Review the breakdown shown under the main result.
  4. Use Copy result or Share to save the answer or send a link with your inputs.

Formula

payback = cost ÷ (generation × rate − maintenance)

Worked example

Using the values pre-filled in the calculator above:

  • Installed cost = 25,000
  • Annual generation = 12,000 kWh
  • Value per kWh = 0.2
  • Annual maintenance = 600
  • Expected life = 20 years
  • Annual energy price rise = 4 %

the calculator returns:

  • Payback period: 10.74 years
  • First-year net income: 1,800
  • Lifetime net income: 59,467.39
  • Net gain: 34,467.39