KPIs and measurements
Capacity factor
Also known as load factor, plant capacity factor.
Capacity factor is the actual energy output of a plant divided by the theoretical maximum if it had run at full nameplate continuously over the same period. Capacity factor combines availability (the plant's readiness to operate) with market dispatch (whether the plant was actually called upon).
Typical values
| Sector | Typical capacity factor |
|---|---|
| Coal-fired baseload | 50–70% (falling with renewables penetration) |
| CCGT baseload | 60–75% |
| CCGT load-following | 30–50% |
| Peaker plants | 5–15% |
| Waste-to-energy | 85–92% (close to availability — always dispatched) |
| Recovery boiler / cement kiln | 88–95% (always dispatched) |
Relationship to fouling
For always-dispatched plants (WtE, cement, recovery boiler), capacity factor approaches availability factor — fouling-driven outages and derates translate directly into lost capacity factor. For market-dispatched plants (coal-fired, CCGT), capacity factor depends on market position more than on fouling, but fouling-driven heat-rate degradation can push the plant down the merit order and reduce dispatched hours indirectly.
Related terms
Related terms
- Availability factorAvailability factor is the percentage of total hours that a plant is available to generate, whether or not it actually does. Distinguishes equipment readiness from market dispatch.
- Heat rateHeat rate is the fuel energy required to produce one unit of electrical output, measured in BTU/kWh or kJ/kWh. Fouling on convective surfaces directly degrades heat rate.
- DerateA derate is operation below nameplate capacity because a limiting condition has been reached. Fouling-driven derates from ID fan, ΔP or boiler tube limits are common.