Power factor is a measure of how effectively electricity is consumed at a facility. It is the ratio of the real power used to do work (measured in kilowatts, kW) to the apparent power supplied to the circuit (measured in kilovolt amperes, kVA) . The power factor is usually expressed as a percentage between 0 and 1, and the higher the power factor, the more efficiently the circuit is using electricity. A low power factor means that the circuit is using power inefficiently, which can result in higher operating costs.
Power factor is an important component of commercial and industrial utility bills, and it can be found on the bill as a ratio of kW/kVA. A low power factor can result in surcharges or penalties from the utility provider. Improving the power factor can lead to economic savings, reduced energy and distribution costs, lower distribution losses, more consistent voltage regulation, and increased available capacity to serve actual working power requirements.
To calculate power factor, a power quality analyzer or power analyzer that measures both working power (kW) and apparent power (kVA) is needed. The power factor formula can be expressed as PF = (True power)/(Apparent power) or PF = W/VA, where watts measure useful power while VA measures supplied power.
