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Capacity factor is a ratio of a generator’s actual power to its full-power output, used to measure generator reliability. It is often converted to a percentage and varies by generating system type. The ratio is determined by the maximum power output and effective power in a given period. It is used to determine overall reliability in fuel systems.
Capacity factor is a metric used to describe the output of a power generation system. This factor is essentially a ratio of the current generator’s actual power to its full-power output. While this factor could mean several things, the overall usage is as a measure of generator reliability; the closer the ratio is to 1:1, the more stable the power system is. Because ratios are often difficult to use as comparisons, the factor is often converted to a percentage: high is good and low is bad. The capacity factor varies widely based on the type of generating system, from natural gas at just over 10% to nuclear at over 90%.
There are several methods for measuring the power of a current generator. In most cases, each of these figures attempts to approach a specific area, often to the exclusion of all others. For example, the total production of one system can easily be compared to the total production of another, but none of these figures take into account other factors such as product input, energy lost in processing or labor involved. The capacity factor is another such measure; it concerns exactly two different numbers and no one else.
The first number used to determine the capacity factor is the maximum power output of the generator. This is the amount of energy the plant generates when running at full capacity. This amount is usually less than the actual output capacity of the system, but the maximum power output assumes there is no negative wear generated on any part of the system. The second value is the effective power of the system in a given period of time.
These two numbers are expressed as the ratio of actual production: potential production. To make the ratio more useful, it is usually converted to a percentage by dividing actual output by potential output. For example, if a plant had the capacity to produce 100 units of horsepower but actually produced only 60, it would be expressed as 60:100 or 60%.
Since a plant operating at 50% capacity for the full period or a plant operating at 100% capacity for half the period would both be 50%, it is difficult to find a hard use for the capacity factor. General use is as a way to determine overall reliability in fuel system. If a plant is constantly under-producing or experiencing shutdowns, it is often a matter of stressed infrastructure or equipment. This means that if the energy is actually needed, the plant will probably fail to meet the needs of its users.
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