Figures representing output of an electrical generating facility. The generating facility is likely to be used for powering its own equipment (lights, heating, computer systems, etc.) so the facility itself will use some of the energy it generates. Gross generation is the actual output of the facility, and net generation is the amount of energy left after the facility's internal energy requirements have been subtracted.

It should be noted that while nearly all generating facilities are powered by the energy they generate, they don't all manage their energy use internally. Since the facility will likely produce energy at the voltage level required by a transmission or local distribution system, it may be cheaper for a small generation facility to use the local utility's service for its offices and some or all of its physical plant (station service) rather than provide their own equipment for converting this energy back to a usable voltage. In such a situation the generating facility would pay the utility at prevailing rates for the use of energy, and a large proportion of that cost would of course be paid back to the facility.

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