The wind turbine starts generating energy at a wind speed of 3.5 m/s, which is between 2 and 3 Beaufort. This is called the ‘cut-in wind speed’. The ‘cut-out wind speed’, the moment at which the turbine is automatically stopped, is 30 m/s (10 to 11 Beaufort). The maximum power is reached at wind speeds of 13 m/s. If the wind speed is lower, production decreases; if the wind speed is higher, maximum production is maintained. This is achieved by pitching the blades (changing the blade angle in such a way that the energy captured from the wind remains the same). For 85% of the time conditions are between the cut-in and cut-out wind speed.
As a blade rotates at 12 revolutions per minute, we know that the speed of the tip of a blade amounts to 280 km/h.
Estimated annual energy yield of the wind farm is +- 1000 GWh/year = enough energy for the annual consumption of 300.000 families.
On the website of the Belgian Offshore platform the current production of the offshore wind farms can be found: https://www.belgianoffshoreplatform.be/en/production-data/
