Capacity factor 32%: within the typical 20–45% range for Onshore wind. That equals running at full power for 2,800 of 8,760 hours.
Capacity factor
32%
0.32 as a fraction
Full-load hours
2,800h
in the 8,760-hour period
Average power
15.98MW
vs 50 MW nameplate
Energy
140GWh
Capacity
50MW
Typical for Onshore wind
20–45%
Specific yield
2,800kWh/kW·yr
annualised energy per kW
Typical capacity factors by technology
| Technology | Typical range | Full-load hours/yr | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 80–93% | 7,008–8,147 | baseload, refuelling outages every 18–24 months |
| Geothermal | 70–90% | 6,132–7,884 | constant heat source |
| Biomass / biogas | 50–85% | 4,380–7,446 | fuel-limited, dispatchable |
| Gas combined cycle | 45–65% | 3,942–5,694 | dispatched by price; mid-merit |
| Coal | 35–65% | 3,066–5,694 | declining use in many grids |
| Offshore wind | 38–55% | 3,329–4,818 | stronger, steadier sea winds |
| Hydropower | 30–60% | 2,628–5,256 | water availability, dispatch & storage |
| Onshore wind ◀ | 20–45% | 1,752–3,942 | wind resource, turbine specific power |
| Concentrated solar (with storage) | 30–55% | 2,628–4,818 | storage hours extend output |
| Utility solar PV, tracking | 20–32% | 1,752–2,803 | trackers follow the sun |
| Utility solar PV, fixed | 12–25% | 1,051–2,190 | night & clouds; latitude |
| Rooftop solar PV | 9–20% | 788–1,752 | non-optimal tilt, shading, heat |
| Gas / oil peaker | 2–15% | 175–1,314 | runs only at demand peaks |
| Battery storage (discharge) | 8–20% | 701–1,752 | cycles per day × duration |
- Ranges summarise US fleet data (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 6.07) and global new-build averages (IRENA); individual plants and years vary widely.
- Capacity factor is not efficiency: a 25% solar capacity factor reflects night and weather, not wasted energy. For dispatchable plants it reflects how often the grid calls on them.
- Use AC nameplate for solar when comparing with other technologies (DC-based figures look lower).