Nameplate capacity
The maximum rated output of a generating unit under ideal conditions, as opposed to what it actually produces on average.
Nameplate is a ceiling, not an expectation. A 100 MW solar facility delivers 100 MW only at peak irradiance; its annual average output is a fraction of that, described by its capacity factor.
Comparing generation sources by nameplate alone systematically overstates intermittent resources relative to firm ones, which is why fuel mix and capacity factor belong in any serious supply assessment.
Where this shows up in the data
See also
More in Power & grid
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