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Electricity Facts
Heat Rate: A measurement used in the energy industry to calculate how efficiently a generator uses heat energy. It is expressed as the number of BTUs of heat required to produce a kilowatt-hour of energy. Operators of generating facilities can make reasonably accurate estimates of the amount of heat energy for a given quantity of any type of fuel. So when this is compared to the actual energy produced by the generator, the resulting figure tells how efficiently the generator converts that fuel into electrical energy. Lower heat rates mean more efficient operation. Typical coal units have heat rates in the 9,000 -12,000+ range. Simple cycle natural gas turbines have heat rates of approximately 10,000, while modern combined cycle gas turbines have heat rates as low as 8,000.
Source: Efficient Heat Rate Benchmarks for Coal-Fired Generating Units |
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