The ratio of active power to apparent power in a circuit is called the power factor. For two systems transmitting the same amount of active power, the system with the lower power factor will have higher circulating currents due to energy that returns to the source from energy storage in the load.
Ruud who invented the electric water heater (automatic storage) in 1889, founded the Ruud Manufacturing Company, which is still in operation today, and pioneered the advancement of water heaters, in both the residential and commercial market. The Water Heater is still sometimes referred to as a geyser in the UK.
It is a well known fallacy that the lead inventor of the steam engine, James Watt, was inspired by watching the power of steam lifting off a kettle lid. In all truth, Watt was truly inspired when working on a Newcomen engine at the University of Glasgow, where he attempted to repair the engine in May, 1765. It's necessary to look at the engine variations leading up to this point, to properly understand the development of the steam engine. Thomas Savery, an English inventor/engineer, developed a water pimp which utilized steam from a boiler to create its power.