CUF (Capacity Utilisation Factor)
The energy a plant actually produced over a year as a percentage of what it would have produced running at nameplate capacity for all 8,760 hours.
Typical values in India
A fixed-tilt plant lands at 17-21% CUF depending on location; single-axis trackers reach 22-26%. Rajasthan and Gujarat sit at the top of the range, the east and north-east at the bottom.
Why it is not a quality measure
CUF conflates two different things — how sunny the site is, and how well the plant is performing. A well-built plant in Kerala will show a lower CUF than a badly built one in Jaisalmer. To judge the plant rather than the place, use performance ratio instead.
Related terms
Where this applies
Utility-Scale Solar EPC, Operations & Maintenance
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