Estimate payback period for a onshore wind project using transparent, editable assumptions. The calculator turns project capacity, energy, performance, or cost inputs into a clear primary result plus supporting figures for planning and comparison. It is intended for early-stage screening, scenario checks, and communication—not as a substitute for a site-specific engineering, resource, tariff, or financial study. Adjust every field to match the same asset boundary and reporting period.
Simple payback = (upfront cost − incentives) ÷ (annual energy × energy value − annual operating cost)
A finite result requires a positive annual net benefit.
Simple payback estimates how many years of constant net annual benefit are needed to recover net upfront investment.
Planning estimate only. Verify assumptions with site-specific technical, commercial, and financial analysis.
Using 2,200,000 dollars of upfront cost, 200,000 dollars of incentives, 1,200,000 kWh/year at $0.1/kWh, and 60,000 dollars of annual operating cost gives a net investment of 2,000,000 dollars, annual net benefit of 60,000 dollars, and simple payback of 33.33 years.
Annual gross savings or revenue minus annual operating cost is used as the recurring net cash benefit.
The entered incentive is subtracted from upfront project cost before calculating simple payback.
A finite payback cannot be calculated; the page explains that current assumptions do not recover the investment.
No. It is an undiscounted screening metric and excludes financing, taxes, escalation, and time value of money.
Use the value per delivered kilowatt-hour that the project actually offsets or earns under your tariff or contract.
| Input | Included in |
|---|---|
| Cost minus incentives | Net upfront investment |
| Energy × unit value | Annual gross benefit |
| Operating cost | Deduction from annual benefit |