WHAT IS LOAD FACTOR AND HOW TO COMPUTE
4To compute the load factor, follow these steps:
1. Determine the total energy consumed by the load during a given period, such as a day, week, or month. This can be obtained from the utility bills or meter readings.
2. Determine the maximum energy demand during the same period. This is the maximum power consumption at any one point in time, such as during peak hours.
3. Calculate the average energy demand by dividing the total energy consumption by the number of hours in the period. This gives you the average power over the entire time period.
4. Calculate the load factor by dividing the average energy demand by the maximum energy demand. This gives you a percentage representing the efficiency of energy use.
Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
Load factor = Average energy demand / Maximum energy demand
For example, if a facility consumed 10,000 kWh in a month and its maximum energy demand was 50 kW, the load factor would be:
Load factor = (10,000 kWh / 720 hours) / 50 kW
Load factor = 0.278 or 27.8%
This means that the facility is using energy at only 27.8% of its maximum capacity on average over the entire month. This measure is important for energy management and efficiency optimization.
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