Capacity Factor

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-004084",
  "term": "Capacity Factor",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. The ratio of the electrical energy produced by a generating unit for a given period of time to the electrical energy that could have been produced at continuous full-power operation during the same period.\n\n2. Ratio of the average load on a machine or equipment for the period of time considered to the capacity rating of the machine or equipment.\n\n3. The ratio of a unit's annual heat input (in million British thermal units or equivalent units of measure) to the unit's maximum rated hourly heat input rate (in million British thermal units per hour or equivalent units of measure) times 8,760 hours.\n\n4. The ratio of a unit's actual annual electric output (expressed in MWe/hr) to the unit's nameplate capacity (or maximum observed hourly gross load (in MWe/hr) if greater than the nameplate capacity) times 8760 hours.\n\n5. The ratio of the average load on (or power output of) an electricity generating unit or system to the capacity rating of the unit or system over a specified period of time.\n\n6. The fraction of an EGU’s total available capacity that is utilized over a period of time, expressed as a fraction. For example, an EGU operating at 50% capacity factor produces half the amount of energy that it could have produced operating at full capacity over all hours.",
  "abbreviation": "CF",
  "subject": "Climate change",
  "references": [
    "Greenhouse Gas Emissions",
    "40 CFR 51.100 (CFR 2013)",
    "40 CFR 72.2 (CFR 2013)",
    "DOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Solar Energy Glossary",
    "AVERT Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/capacity-factor/"
}