This is annual average wind speed measured 50 meters above the ground or sea.
| meters per second | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | >12.0 |
| 0.0 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 10.0 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 13.4 | 14.5 | 15.7 | 16.8 | 17.9 | 19.0 | 20.1 | >26.8 |
| miles per hour | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| meters per second | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | >12.0 |
| 0.0 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 10.0 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 13.4 | 14.5 | 15.7 | 16.8 | 17.9 | 19.0 | 20.1 | >26.8 |
| miles per hour | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
You also need to consider tip speed, or TSR (Tip Speed Ratio). The tips of the windmill blade travel much faster than the wind speed, so a TSR of 7 means the tips travel at 7 times the wind speed. A typical 2 meter diameter turbine at 500rpm could have a tip speed of over 200kmh, and any airborne dust or unfortunate insects will be very abrasive at this speed. For windmill blades made from a soft material, such as timber, a layer of wear resistant aluminum tape or fiberglass is usually applied to the leading edge.