Electrical – how is it possible that an inverter absorb reactive power

The electrical technician has suggested installing a 3 phase capacitor bank to compensate for the “Reactive power” produced by the motors because if not, I may be penalized economically by the local electrical company.

That's all fine and dandy if you are running your appliances all together 24 7 but, in the dead of night, ask yourself, what is that bank of capacitors doing?

Answer - they are taking reactive current that they are hoping would balance the reactive current taken by the motors BUT the motors are not switched on SO, if your utility company can bill you extra for having a poor lagging power factor then they surely will bill you for having a poor leading power factor for all those hours that the laundry is shut.

Maybe the electrician has in mind some clever caps that automatically switch in and out or maybe he means installing several sets so that each only activates when their particular motors start turning? Either way, seek clarification from him and if he falls down at the first hurdle then fire him.

'Both inductor and capacitor absorb power' - NO

They both store energy (the integral of power).

In an AC circuit, a simple one where there's only one capacitor and one inductor, doesn't matter whether series or parallel connection, one will be accumulating energy while the other is discharging energy. One will be taking power, the other will be generating power.

The net change in total energy storage seen at the terminals will be the algebraic sum of the changes at the L and at the C. As one is the opposite sign to the other, the sum is the difference in their magnitudes.