What is the capacity utilization factor (CUF) of a solar power plant?

The capacity utilization factor (CUF) is one of the most important performance parameters for a solar power plant. It indicates how much energy a solar plant is able to generate compared to its maximum rated capacity over a period of time.

What is a solar capacity factor?

The capacity factor refers to the ratio of the actual energy output of a solar plant over a period of time compared to its maximum possible output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity for the same time period. It captures the plant’s utilization over time, accounting for variability and intermittency.

What is a capacity utilization factor?

The capacity utilization factor refers to the ratio of the actual output of a solar plant compared to its rated or installed capacity over a period of time. It provides a snapshot of the plant’s utilization at a given point. The key differences between CF and CUF are:

Does number of PV modules affect power generation efficiency?

This study considers the number of modules as an input factor for evaluating the impact of electricity generation per module (i.e., quality of the module) on the power generation efficiency. PV array rated capacity (M W): This is defined as the product of the number of modules and their average generation output.

What is the coefficient of variation of solar irradiation?

In each representative city, the coefficient of variation, defined as the ratio of the average solar irradiation to the standard deviation, is approximately 0.1 for all the months except from June to July, that is, during the rainy season (Table S5 in the SI).

What is a solar plant performance ratio?

The solar plant performance ratio is a key metric for evaluating the efficiency of a solar installation. It calculates the ratio between the actual energy output and the theoretical maximum output based on the solar energy received.