What is the capacity factor?

It’s important to look at the capacity factor of our resources so that we can develop a stable power grid. Energy is supplied by each grid constantly and it’s essential to get the most efficient energy that we can possibly use. The capacity factor is a measure of the performance of a power source over time as a percentage of its full potential. These factors vary substantially from one energy source to another. Nuclear power has the highest CF, followed by coal, and then renewable energy. Oil and combined cycle natural gas plants have the lower CFs and yet we still rely on these expensive fuels extensively. Coal fired plants seem to be a solid choice for generating electricity because of the high CF and fewer concerns than nuclear power plants usually present. However, the technology we use with nuclear power continues to advance and the extremely high CF will prove nuclear to be a valuable source in our future.