A wind turbine converts the kinetic energy of moving air into electricity. The power available in the wind grows with the cube of wind speed, so a small change in wind makes a large change in output. Below the cut-in speed there isn't enough wind to overcome friction, so the rotor stays idle. Above the rated speed the turbine would produce more than its generator can handle, so blade pitch automatically "feathers" the blades to cap output at the rated power. Above the cut-out speed the turbine shuts down entirely to protect the structure from storm-force loads.
P = ½ · ρ · A · v³ · Cp
ρ = air density (1.225 kg/m³)
A = π·R² = rotor swept area
Cp = power coefficient (≤ 0.593, Betz limit)
- Wind speed — drives both rotor RPM and available power; power scales as v³ until the rated power cap is reached.
- Blade pitch — rotating the blades toward "feather" spills wind and reduces Cp, the same mechanism real turbines use to limit power above rated wind speed.
- Wave height — swell driving the floating platform's motion; taller waves rock the platform and tower more, visualised here for scale rather than fed into the power model.
- Cut-in / rated / cut-out — the three thresholds on the power curve: 3 m/s (rotor starts), ~12.5 m/s (rated power reached) and 25 m/s (turbine stops for safety).
Real-world relevance: offshore turbines see steadier, stronger wind than onshore sites, but the same cubic power law and pitch-control safety logic governs every utility-scale turbine, on land or at sea.