| Table 4.8.B. Capacity Factors for Utility Scale Generators Not Primarily Using Fossil Fuels, January 2013-December 2015 |
| Period | Nuclear | Conventional Hydropower | Wind | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar Thermal | Landfill Gas and Muncipal Solid Waste | Other Biomass Including Wood | Geothermal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Factors | ||||||||
| 2013 | 89.9% | 38.9% | 32.4% | NA | NA | 68.9% | 56.7% | 73.6% |
| 2014 | 91.7% | 37.3% | 34.0% | 25.9% | 19.8% | 68.9% | 58.9% | 74.0% |
| 2015 | 92.3% | 35.8% | 32.2% | 25.8% | 22.1% | 68.7% | 55.3% | 74.3% |
| Year 2013 | ||||||||
| January | 93.9% | 42.3% | 33.5% | NA | NA | 66.0% | 56.5% | 76.9% |
| February | 90.3% | 38.3% | 35.4% | NA | NA | 65.2% | 56.0% | 76.1% |
| March | 83.4% | 34.8% | 35.9% | NA | NA | 69.0% | 55.4% | 76.8% |
| April | 77.6% | 44.4% | 41.1% | NA | NA | 66.9% | 44.8% | 73.3% |
| May | 83.3% | 48.4% | 37.0% | NA | NA | 70.4% | 50.5% | 71.7% |
| June | 93.1% | 48.3% | 32.4% | NA | NA | 71.0% | 54.8% | 72.4% |
| July | 95.6% | 46.8% | 25.3% | NA | NA | 71.1% | 58.2% | 73.3% |
| August | 96.7% | 37.2% | 22.0% | NA | NA | 71.9% | 64.8% | 72.5% |
| September | 92.2% | 29.9% | 27.4% | NA | NA | 69.4% | 61.1% | 73.6% |
| October | 85.7% | 29.2% | 31.0% | NA | NA | 66.6% | 57.9% | 74.7% |
| November | 91.0% | 31.1% | 37.0% | NA | NA | 69.5% | 61.0% | 68.8% |
| December | 96.6% | 35.9% | 31.3% | NA | NA | 69.9% | 59.0% | 73.0% |
| Year 2014 | ||||||||
| January | 99.1% | 36.7% | 40.3% | NA | NA | 68.1% | 60.0% | 74.0% |
| February | 94.0% | 32.6% | 34.8% | NA | NA | 68.3% | 59.5% | 73.3% |
| March | 84.5% | 40.7% | 39.8% | NA | NA | 69.6% | 59.7% | 73.5% |
| April | 78.8% | 44.5% | 43.2% | NA | NA | 69.9% | 49.5% | 74.6% |
| May | 85.2% | 44.6% | 34.9% | NA | NA | 70.6% | 48.2% | 73.2% |
| June | 95.4% | 44.8% | 36.5% | NA | NA | 70.8% | 63.0% | 73.4% |
| July | 97.5% | 41.3% | 27.0% | NA | NA | 73.1% | 63.4% | 72.5% |
| August | 96.4% | 33.7% | 22.5% | 30.9% | 25.4% | 71.1% | 62.8% | 73.0% |
| September | 94.6% | 28.2% | 26.1% | 30.7% | 26.3% | 68.9% | 61.2% | 74.2% |
| October | 84.5% | 29.2% | 31.6% | 26.5% | 21.1% | 64.4% | 56.5% | 73.9% |
| November | 91.3% | 32.6% | 42.3% | 22.3% | 13.8% | 66.1% | 62.1% | 77.3% |
| December | 99.6% | 37.8% | 30.4% | 15.1% | 5.6% | 65.4% | 60.8% | 75.5% |
| Year 2015 | ||||||||
| January | 101.3% | 40.7% | 31.2% | 16.8% | 5.0% | 65.1% | 57.2% | 75.9% |
| February | 95.8% | 41.4% | 34.1% | 22.1% | 14.5% | 64.3% | 60.0% | 76.4% |
| March | 88.0% | 40.8% | 31.4% | 26.7% | 22.6% | 63.0% | 53.4% | 76.8% |
| April | 84.3% | 39.4% | 37.5% | 30.9% | 30.5% | 66.8% | 47.3% | 72.4% |
| May | 89.8% | 33.9% | 34.8% | 31.2% | 27.0% | 68.5% | 48.4% | 76.6% |
| June | 96.4% | 35.8% | 27.9% | 31.7% | 32.2% | 69.2% | 56.7% | 74.1% |
| July | 97.3% | 35.8% | 27.4% | 31.4% | 31.1% | 73.1% | 59.9% | 74.7% |
| August | 98.6% | 32.5% | 25.8% | 31.3% | 32.3% | 71.5% | 61.6% | 73.9% |
| September | 93.6% | 28.3% | 28.1% | 26.6% | 27.1% | 68.8% | 56.1% | 67.9% |
| October | 82.5% | 28.3% | 31.6% | 22.8% | 16.5% | 68.3% | 48.8% | 72.4% |
| November | 84.8% | 33.8% | 39.0% | 20.7% | 16.9% | 72.4% | 55.8% | 75.4% |
| December | 94.9% | 39.4% | 37.4% | 17.5% | 9.5% | 73.0% | 58.3% | 75.3% |
| Values are final. NA = Not Available Notes: Solar Thermal Capacity Factors include generation from plants using concentrated solar power energy storage. Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-923, Power Plant Operations Report; U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, 'Annual Electric Generator Report' and Form EIA-860M, 'Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report.' |