Solar Lattice

Concept

Active power

ID
concept:active-power
IRI
https://solarlattice.org/kb/concept/active-power
Status
active
Also known as
real power, kW
Category
Grid
Concept kind
electrical

Active power, also called real power, is the part of AC power that actually does work. It is measured in watts. Inverters, battery inverters and monitoring platforms usually show active power in kW, for example for the utility grid, a generator, an external source or the loads. The nameplate active power rating of a DER is the active power rating in watts at unity power factor. Inverters also have a nominal maximum value that caps the active power at their output. Inverters and battery systems can reduce active power on command, as a percentage of rated maximum power or of nameplate maximum real power. Grid support modes can also change active power with grid voltage (Volt-Watt, P(V)) or with grid frequency (Frequency-Watt, P(f)). In battery-backup systems, the PV inverters must be able to control their active power according to frequency. Active power is separate from reactive power, which monitoring tables list in kVAr, and inverters provide separate control modes for each.

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Claims

related_to

c1 drafted · lead Reactive power

Monitoring tables list active power in kW next to reactive power in kVAr; inverters offer separate active and reactive power control modes.

c2 drafted · lead Limit maximum active power

Active power can be capped as a percentage of Pmax or of nameplate maximum real power.

c3 drafted · lead Volt-Watt

P(V): exported active power set as a function of grid voltage.

c4 verified · fact Frequency-Watt

P(f): active power limited as a function of grid frequency; required for PV inverters in battery-backup systems.

verified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-24

c5 drafted · lead Active power setpoint proposed

review note: support check: partial - The passages only have a table-of-contents entry 'Active Power Setpoint' and external active power setting objects, so a relation is implied but little is stated.

c6 drafted · lead Nameplate rating

The nameplate active power rating is defined in watts at unity power factor.

c7 drafted · lead Curtailment

Active power curtailment sets a new active power value as a percentage of Pmax.

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Data