Most factories believe they’ve solved their displacement power factor (DPF) issues by using capacitor banks designed for inductive loads. However, modern factories are increasingly filled with VFDs, servers, automation systems, and other non-linear loads that distort current waveforms and create distortion power factor. This requires a more comprehensive solution—a true power factor improvement plant that addresses both displacement and distortion power factor, rather than relying solely on a PFI plant. Otherwise, significant energy loss will continue.
ENRG TECH has assessed modern factories and found several overlooked energy loss factors, making this a critical issue. From a real-world assessment, it’s been observed that only 20.9% of input energy is converted into useful work. The remaining energy is lost to:
Reactive power (37.9%)
Harmonic distortion (37.8%)
Unbalance (1.5%)
Neutral current (1.9 %)
This results in nearly 80% of energy being wasted, which is an alarming inefficiency with severe financial and environmental consequences. Beyond the direct energy loss, there are also significant indirect impacts such as reduced equipment lifespan and the increased risk of resonance, which can lead to damaged control cards and reduced system safety margins.