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The term "capacity rating" can refer to different concepts depending on the context. In electronics, it relates to capacitance, which is the ability of a component, like a capacitor, to store an electric charge. The standard unit for capacitance is the farad, named after Michael Faraday.1

However, the farad is a very large unit. Electronic components are typically rated in smaller units, such as microfarads (10-6 farad) or picofarads (10-12 farad).1

In the context of power systems, a "capacity factor" is the ratio of the average load carried by a power station or system over a period to its maximum rated capacity during that same period.2

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  1. farad
  2. capacity factor

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