kVA to kW Calculator
kVA to kW and back. The only ingredient is the power factor.
The formula
kW = kVA × PF kVA = kW / PF
A 100 kVA generator at power factor 0.8 delivers 80 kW of real power. Going the other way, an 80 kW load at PF 0.8 needs at least 100 kVA of generator.
Picking a power factor
Resistive loads (heaters, kettles, incandescent light) run at PF 1, so kW and kVA are equal. Mixed commercial loads typically land between 0.8 and 0.95; generator makers rate their sets at 0.8 by convention. Modern electronics with corrected power supplies sit near 0.99, while lightly loaded induction motors can drop below 0.5. When in doubt for sizing, 0.8 is the safe, industry-standard guess.