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A Kilovolt-Ampere Reactive (kVAR) is a unit used to measure reactive power in an electrical system.
One kVAR is equal to one thousand volt-amperes reactive (VAR). Think of it as the counterpart to a kilowatt (kW), which measures real power (also known as "working power").
kVAR measures reactive power, often called "non-working" power or "wattless" power.
While it doesn't perform actual work (like lighting a bulb), it's essential for equipment that uses magnetic fields to operate. This includes common industrial and commercial items like:
This power is "reactive" because it just moves back and forth (oscillates) between the power source and the load. This extra movement increases the total current in the wires, which can put a strain on the entire electrical system.
A high amount of kVAR is the primary cause of a poor power factor.
Power factor is a critical measure of your electrical efficiency, on a scale from 0 to 1. A low power factor score means your system is using energy inefficiently.
To fix this, buildings install power factor correction (PFC) systems, which are usually capacitor banks. These banks supply the needed reactive power directly to the equipment.
This process "cancels out" the reactive power that would otherwise be pulled from the utility grid, which provides several key benefits:
Excessive kVAR is bad for both your system's health and your wallet. Because it increases the total current flowing through your wiring, high kVAR leads to several significant problems:
To cover the costs of this strain on the grid, utility companies often charge demand fees or power factor penalties, especially for commercial and industrial customers.