In this scout, we take the complicated subject of kilowatt and simplify it into more relatable terms. here, you ’ ll derive a better understanding of what kilowatt are, plus we ’ ll cover things like what we measure in kilowatt, how we convert and calculate kilowatts, and how kilowatt differ from kilowatt-hours, megawatts, and gigawatts .
What Is a Watt ?
What Is a Kilowatt ?
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Before we discuss kilowatts, let ’ s take a second to talk about watts ( W ). Watts are the basic unit of ability used to measure electric, thermal, and mechanical world power. One watt is equal to one joule, equally well as one volt-ampere. All of these terms measure electrical power.
now, let ’ s get into a more detailed description of what a kilowatt ( kilowatt ) is. Most just, a kilowatt is another term used in the measure of power. Most frequently, we use kilowatts to measure residential and commercial power .
Keep in mind that the prefix “ kilo ” means one thousand. It may be easier for you to remember that one kilowatt equals 1,000 watt of electrical might when intelligent of the prefix ’ south meaning. For example, a microwave with a 1,000-watt label requires 1,000 watts worth of power ( or 1 kilowatt ) to work .
How Do You Convert Watts Into Kilowatts ?
How Do You Convert Kilowatts to Watts ?
The conversion of watts to kilowatts is fair a straight-forward as you may have guessed. We find the office in kilowatt P ( kilowatt ) by dividing the power in watt P ( W ) by 1,000 .
Here’s the Formula for Converting Watts Into Kilowatts:
- P ( kilowatt ) = P ( W ) / 1,000
For example, if you wanted to convert your 1500W dishwasher to kilowatts, you would do the pursuit calculation :
- P ( kilowatt ) = 1,500W / 1,000 = 1.5kW
here ’ s another manner to think of it that may make the mathematics easy. Add a decimal orient at the end of your solid total. In this case, it ’ sulfur 1500. then, since there are three zeros in 1,000, which is the numeral you ’ ra separate by, you will move the decimal point three digits, or three spaces, to the bequeath. You end up with 1.500, or 1.5. This trick makes it very easy to convert watts into kilowatt with some agile genial mathematics .
here ’ s the Formula for Converting Kilowatts Into Watts :
Since we know that one kilowatt is equivalent to 1000 watt, we reverse the operations above to solve this equation .
- 1kW = 1000W
- P ( W ) = 1000 × P ( kilowatt )
For model, if you know that your dishwasher uses 1.5kW, you would perform the equality below to find that your dishwasher is a 1500W appliance or requires 1500W of office to work .
- Convert 1.5kW to watts :
- P ( W ) = 1000 × 1.5kW = 1500W
How many Kilowatts Are in a Megawatt ?
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We use megawatt when measuring power on a much larger scale. If you wanted to know how much power is produced by a power plant or how much electricity is required to power an entire city, you would use megawatt. For exercise, a typical coal power plant is around 600 MW in size .
To continue along the path of keeping things childlike, use the lapp formula used above to convert kilowatt to megawatts ( MW ). Why is that ? well, because 1,000 kilowatts are peer to — you guessed it — one megawatt .
Here’s the Formula to Convert Kilowatts to Megawatts:
- P ( MW ) = P ( kilowatt ) / 1,000
This recipe besides means that if you would like to convert watt to megawatts, you have to add three more zeros to your equation. The baron in megawatt P ( MW ) can be found by dividing the office in watts P ( W ) by 1,000,000 .
Here’s the Formula to Convert Watts to Megawatts:
- P ( MW ) = P ( W ) / 1,000,000
For example, if you convert a 100-watt light medulla oblongata to megawatts, you will do the following calculation :
- P ( MW ) = 100W / 1,000,000 = 0.000100MW
How many Megawatts Are in a Gigawatt ?
Suppose you ’ rhenium looking for an even larger measurement unit. In that character, you ’ ll want to use gigawatts, which we use to measure how much ability large power plants or several plants can generate together. In 2012, the sum capacity of United States electricity generating plants was about 1,100 GW .
You ’ ve probable noticed a model forming here. In that case, you may have a thoroughly estimate as to what the recipe is for converting megawatt to gigawatts ( GW ). If you guessed that there are 1,000 megawatts in one gigawatt, you would be correct. That fun fact means that there are 1,000,000 kilowatts in one gigawatt and 1,000,000,000 watts in one gigawatt. Whew !
What Are Kilowatt-Hours ?
Are Kilowatt-Hours Different Than Kilowatts ?
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now, here ’ south where things can get a sting confuse. A kilowatt-hour ( kWh ) is a measurement of how a lot energy is used. however, this is not actually the lapp as measuring the act of kilowatt you use per hour because power and energy are not the same. rather, a kilowatt-hour measures the measure of time, or the amount of energy, it takes to use one kilowatt of power .
- Kilowatt = power, which is the rate that energy is generated or used.
- Kilowatt-Hour = department of energy, which is the rate that we use fuel over a specific period.
The sum of energy used if a 1,000-watt appliance runs for one hour is equal to one kilowatt-hour. The lower the electrical power an detail has, the better .
hera ’ s an example : If you were to use a 100-watt light bulb, it would wield one kilowatt-hour of energy after 10 hours of use. But, if you switched to a more energy-efficient light bulb that alone requires 40-watts to produce the lapp amount of lightly, it will take 25 hours to use one kWh of energy. Imagine the department of energy savings you could achieve by switching out all of the light bulb in your home .
precisely like measuring power consumption, when you calculate the come of department of energy used or produced on a larger plate, you would use megawatt-hours ( MWh ) or gigawatt-hours ( GWh ) .
How Do I Calculate the Energy Consumption of an electrical appliance ?
How Is My Energy Use in Kilowatt-Hours Calculated ?
much like one kilowatt is equal to 1,000-watts of power, one kilowatt-hour is equivalent to 1,000-watts, or joules, of energy practice over one hour. If you wanted to convert watt into kilowatt-hours to find out how much energy your coffee manufacturer consumes each day, you would multiply the ability pulmonary tuberculosis in watt by the total of hours used. then, divide that phone number by 1,000 .
here ’ s the Formula for Calculating Watts Into Kilowatt-Hours :
- kWh = ( watt × hour ) ÷ 1,000
For exercise, to find the kWh of 1,200 watts for 3 hours :
- kWh = ( 1,200 × 3 ) ÷ 1,000
- kWh = 3,600 ÷ 1,000
- kWh = 3.6
How Do I Convert My Energy Consumption of Kilowatt-Hours Into Watts ?
Suppose you were interested in doing the rearward to determine how many watts your coffee bean maker is, based on its kilowatt-hours. In that case, you could easily do so by making a few simple adjustments to the formula .
For this conversion, multiply the energy used in kWh by 1,000 to find the energy consumption in watt-hour. then, you must divide that count by the number of hours you used it .
Here’s the Formula for Calculating Kilowatt-Hours Into Watts:
- watt = ( kWh × 1,000 ) ÷ hour
For example : let ’ s find the watts of power for 3.6 kWh of energy used in 3 hours .
- watt = ( 3.6 kWh × 1,000 ) ÷ 3 hour
- watts = 3,600 ÷ 3 hour
- watt = 1200 W
What Does One Kilowatt-Hour of Electrical Energy Cost ?
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Most utility companies calculate your electricity bill based on how many kilowatt-hours, or units of energy you use each month. Since the scientific unit of energy is measured in joules, you will much see your department of energy use listed in joules on your electric bill. Remember, one joule is equal to one watt. If you can convert watt to kWh, you can predict how much it might cost to run your respective electrical appliances and devices .
Using the latest electricity prices reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a Choose Energy® Rate Report was compiled. The report shows how much energy costs vary depending on your placement .
In 2020, Idaho residents paid the lowest average electricity rates in the U.S. at 9.67 cents per kWh. In extreme contrast, residents in Hawaii paid the most, with their average 2020 electricity rates coming in about 28.84 cents per kWh .
How Do I Calculate the Consumption of an electric appliance ?
How Do I Estimate What My Electricity Bill Will Be ?
Let ’ s use the national modal rate of around 13 cents per kWh to calculate how a lot it costs to exponent a 100-watt light bulb every hour. Since it takes 100 watt of exponent to work — to convert the might in watt to kilowatt-hours — you will multiply 100 watt by one hour. then, you ’ ll divide by 1,000 to find the energy usage in kWh .
- Energy = ( 100 × 1 ) ÷ 1,000
- Energy = 100 ÷ 1,000
- Energy = 0.1 kWh
- hourly cost = electricity cost per kWh ÷ energy use in kWh
- hourly monetary value = $ 0.13 ÷ 0.1 kWh
- hourly cost = 1.3 cents
If electricity costs 13 cents per kWh, then a 100-watt light light bulb will cost 1.3 cents for every hour that it ’ second on. Most electric bills are calculated monthly. To estimate your monthly costs, you can follow these steps:
- Estimate how many hours per day you use that light bulb on average. ( Let ’ s say it ’ s 5 hours ) .
- Multiply the light bulb ’ randomness watt by the average number of hours you use it day by day rather of the one hour used in the formula above. ( Let ’ s say your light light bulb is 60 watt, so that you would calculate 60 watts x 5 hours ) .
- Solve the equation above using your abstemious bulb ’ s actual electrical power and the actual average number of hours you use that light bulb per sidereal day. ( 60 x 5 = 300 ÷ 1,000 = 0.3 kWh ) .
- divide your area ’ second median electricity price by your light bulb ’ sulfur average daily kWh. ( $ 0.13 ÷ 0.3 kWh = 43 cents per day.
- Multiply your answer by 30 to get the monthly average kWh for that light bulb. In this case, $ 0.43 x 30 days = $ 3.90. It would cost you $ 3.90 per month to leave a 60-watt sparkle bulb on for an average of 5 hours per day, every day.
- repeat this equation for all light up bulbs, appliances, and early electric devices in your dwelling.
- Add up the sum to find your estimated monthly electricity costs in kilowatt-hours. You may be surprised to see how fast it all adds up .
How many Kilowatt-Hours Does the Average U.S. Household Use Per Day ?
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nowadays that you know all about how to calculate the kWh of energy consumption you use, it might be interesting to compare your energy use to others in the United States. The average home in the U.S. consumed 887 kilowatt-hours ( kWh ) of electricity per calendar month in 2019, which breaks down to about 30 kWh per sidereal day. If you ’ re curious to see where you stand compared to others in your specific area or state, check out this datum provided by the U.S. department of energy information government .
How many Kilowatts Should a Generator Be to Run a House ?
If you live in an area prone to weather that could result in ability outages, you can give yourself a little peace of mind by investing in a generator. Freezers, lights, refrigerators, and well pumps are merely a few of the appliances you could keep running during a world power outage .
The most critical family equipment can be run with a 5,000 to 7,500 watt rated generator. If you would like your entire theater to continue operating, you will likely need to go larger. If you have fewer appliances, you may be able to get away with something smaller. Determining the electrical power of your necessary appliances will help you figure out what size generator you will need .
What ’ s the Difference Between Watts and Amps ?
Watts and amperes, besides known as amps, are both units used to measure electric power consumption or production. All electronic devices have their energy consumption listed on their label in either watt or amps. If the label on your device lists amps, you can calculate the electrical power by using a simpleton recipe .
Here’s the Formula for Calculating Amps to Watts:
Wattage = Amps x 120
For model, if you have a 120V device with a 20 ampere label, that ’ s equivalent to a electrical power of 2400. In equality form, that is : 20A x 120V = 2400W
What Is the Kilowatt-Peak ?
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Kilowatt-peak ( kWp ) refers to the rate a system can generate energy during its top out operation, which is when it ’ sulfur working at its maximum capacity. We most normally use kWp for solar electricity systems. These systems are labeled with a evaluation in kilowatt flower ( kWp ) so that consumers can compare the output capabilities and size of respective photovoltaic panels .
A 2 kWp organization will produce 2 kilowatt of electric power only during the brightest cheerfulness when all conditions are at their best. standard modules take around 6.25 square meters of roof space for each kWp. Higher efficiency modules use entirely five square meters of roof space .
How Technology Is Changing the Energy Industry
There ’ s no question that technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the years. Things aren ’ t any different in the energy diligence. Let ’ s take a look at two excellent examples .
How much Does It Cost to Charge a Tesla ?
Tesla has been around since 2003, but immediately that electric cars are becoming more common, they ’ rhenium besides becoming more low-cost. As natural gas prices are going up, the cost to charge electric vehicles is going down. Take a expect at this case which explains how much it costs to charge a Tesla Model 3 at a home charging station :
- The battery capacity is 75kW, and our stream average electricity rate that we ’ ra going to use is 13 cents per kWh
- This means that your charging monetary value is equal to 75 x $ 0.13 = $ 9.75 for a complete “ fill up ” that will get you around for approximately 240 miles.
- Compare charging the Tesla to filling up a smaller car that has a 12-gallon accelerator tank. When we use a gasoline cost of $ 3.85 per gallon, it ’ sulfur reasonably pass that the $ 46.20 you spend on filling up your car with gas ( 12 ten $ 3.85 = $ 46.20 ) is direction more expensive than using the Tesla charging station. It may get you 300-400 miles of drive time, but even charging the Tesla doubly is less than half the monetary value of one cooler of gas.
- Bonus : By driving an electric car, you ’ ll reduce your carbon dioxide emissions and bacillus ecome a part of the fight against climate change .
Measuring Your Energy Use Is simple With a Smart Meter
bright meters mechanically send your daily and hourly department of energy custom data to your utility company ’ s central calculator system. This engineering provides real-time data allowing both parties an in-depth expression into current usage habits, eliminating the need for meter readings .
smart meters allow consumers access to information on how, when, and where utilities are used, making it simple to make changes when necessity .
now You Know Kilowatts
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immediately that you know how to use your newfound cognition of kilowatt to save energy, you may be interest in learning about more ways to save on your electric bills. Check out the Energy Savings marketplace where researching your department of energy options is easy, plus learn more about getting started on your path towards energy conservation today .
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