2/26/24, 6:11 PM Kilowatts and Calculations: What You Need To Know?

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Published on March 22, 2021 | Last updated on August 17, 2023

Kilowatts and Calculations:

What You Need To Know?
13 minute read
Educational, Energy Resources, Energy Topics, Just Energy
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2/26/24, 6:11 PM Kilowatts and Calculations: What You Need To Know?

Even if the subject of kilowatts isn’t something you think

about every day, it’s certainly something that affects your
daily life. You see, a watt is the basic unit of measurement
used for electrical power. The term “watt” comes from James
Watt of Scotland, an engineer, entrepreneur, craftsman,
instrument maker, and scientist who is often referred to as
the father of the Industrial Revolution. One of his most
notable accomplishments was around 1775, when he
invented the Watt steam engine. Today, steam turbines at
thermal power plants use this same technology to convert
thermal energy into mechanical energy. We measure that
electrical power in kilowatts.

In this guide, we take the complicated subject of kilowatts

and simplify it into more relatable terms. Here, you’ll gain a
better understanding of what kilowatts are, plus we’ll cover
things like what we measure in kilowatts, how we convert

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and calculate kilowatts, and how kilowatts differ from

kilowatt-hours, megawatts, and gigawatts.

What Is a Watt?
What Is a Kilowatt?

source

Before we discuss kilowatts, let’s take a second to talk about

watts (W). Watts are the basic unit of power used to
measure electric, thermal, and mechanical power. One watt
is equal to one joule, as 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 (kW) is. Most simply, a kilowatt is another term used
in the measure of power. Most frequently, we use kilowatts
to measure residential and commercial power.

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Keep in mind that the prefix “kilo” means one thousand. It

may be easier for you to remember that one kilowatt equals
1,000 watts of electrical power when thinking of the prefix’s
meaning. For example, a microwave with a 1,000-watt label
requires 1,000 watts worth of power (or 1 kW) to work.

How Do You Convert Watts Into

Kilowatts?
How Do You Convert Kilowatts to
Watts?
The conversion of watts to kilowatts is just as straight-
forward as you may have guessed. We find the power in
kilowatts P(kW) by dividing the power in watts P(W) by
1,000.

Here’s the Formula for Converting Watts Into Kilowatts:

P(kW) = P(W) / 1,000

For example, if you wanted to convert your 1500W

dishwasher to kilowatts, you would do the following
calculation:

P(kW) = 1,500W / 1,000 = 1.5kW

Here’s another way to think of it that may make the math

easier. Add a decimal point at the end of your whole number.
In this case, it’s 1500. Then, since there are three zeros in
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1,000, which is the number you’re dividing by, you will move
the decimal point three digits, or three spaces, to the left.
You end up with 1.500, or 1.5. This trick makes it really easy
to convert watts into kilowatts with some quick mental
math.

Here’s the Formula for Converting

Kilowatts Into Watts:
Since we know that one kilowatt is equivalent to 1000 watts,
we reverse the operations above to solve this equation.

1kW = 1000W

P(W) = 1000 × P(kW)

For example, if you know that your dishwasher uses 1.5kW,

you would perform the equation below to find that your
dishwasher is a 1500W appliance or requires 1500W of
power to work.

Convert 1.5kW to watts:

P(W) = 1000 × 1.5kW = 1500W

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How Many Kilowatts Are in a

Megawatt?

source

We use megawatts 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 megawatts. For
example, a typical coal power plant is around 600 MW in
size.

To continue along the path of keeping things simple, use the

same formula used above to convert kilowatts to megawatts
(MW). Why is that? Well, because 1,000 kilowatts are equal
to — you guessed it — one megawatt.

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Here’s the Formula to Convert Kilowatts to Megawatts:

P(MW) = P(kW) / 1,000

This formula also means that if you would like to convert

watts to megawatts, you have to add three more zeros to
your equation. The power in megawatts P(MW) can be found
by dividing the power 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 bulb 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’re looking for an even larger measurement unit.
In that case, you’ll want to use gigawatts, which we use to
measure how much power large power plants or several
plants can generate together. In 2012, the total capacity of
United States electricity generating plants was about 1,100
GW.

You’ve likely noticed a pattern forming here. In that case, you

may have a good idea as to what the formula is for
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converting megawatts 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!

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What Are Kilowatt-Hours?

Are Kilowatt-Hours Different Than
Kilowatts?

source

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Now, here’s where things can get a bit confusing. A kilowatt-

hour (kWh) is a measurement of how much energy is used.
However, this is not actually the same as measuring the
number of kilowatts you use per hour because power and
energy are not the same. Instead, a kilowatt-hour measures
the amount 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 = energy, which is the rate that we use fuel

over a specific period.

The amount of energy used if a 1,000-watt appliance runs for

one hour is equal to one kilowatt-hour. The lower the
wattage an item has, the better.

Here’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 only requires 40-watts to produce the same amount of
light, it will take 25 hours to use one kWh of energy. Imagine
the energy savings you could achieve by switching out all of
the lightbulbs in your home.

Just like measuring power consumption, when you calculate

the amount of energy used or produced on a larger scale,
you would use megawatt-hours (MWh) or gigawatt-hours
(GWh).

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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 use over one hour. If you wanted to convert watts
into kilowatt-hours to find out how much energy your coffee
maker consumes each day, you would multiply the power
consumption in watts by the number of hours used. Then,
divide that number by 1,000.

Here’s the Formula for Calculating Watts Into

Kilowatt-Hours:
kWh = (watts × hrs) ÷ 1,000

For example, 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

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How Do I Convert My Energy

Consumption of Kilowatt-Hours
Into Watts?
Suppose you were interested in doing the reverse to
determine how many watts your coffee 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-hours. Then,
you must divide that number by the number of hours you
used it.

Here’s the Formula for Calculating Kilowatt-Hours Into

Watts:

watts = (kWh × 1,000) ÷ hrs

For example: let’s find the watts of power for 3.6 kWh of
energy used in 3 hours.

watts = (3.6 kWh × 1,000) ÷ 3 hrs

watts = 3,600 ÷ 3 hrs

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watts = 1200 W

What Does One Kilowatt-Hour of

Electrical Energy Cost?

source

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 often see your energy usage listed in joules
on your electric bill. Remember, one joule is equal to one
watt. If you can convert watts to kWh, you can predict how
much it might cost to run your various electrical appliances
and devices.

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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 location.

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 around 28.84 cents per kWh.

Enter your ZIP code Shop our best rates

How Do I Calculate the

Consumption of an Electrical
Appliance?
How Do I Estimate What My
Electricity Bill Will Be?
Let’s use the national average rate of around 13 cents per
kWh to calculate how much it costs to power a 100-watt
light bulb every hour. Since it takes 100 watts of power to
work — to convert the power in watts to kilowatt-hours —
you will multiply 100 watts by one hour. Then, you’ll divide
by 1,000 to find the energy usage in kWh.

Energy = (100 × 1) ÷ 1,000

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Energy = 100 ÷ 1,000

Energy = 0.1 kWh

Hourly cost = electricity cost per kWh ÷ energy use in

kWh

Hourly cost = $0.13 ÷ 0.1 kWh

Hourly cost = 1.3 cents

If electricity costs 13 cents per kWh, then a 100-watt light

bulb will cost 1.3 cents for every hour that it’s on. Most
electric bills are calculated monthly. To estimate your
monthly costs, you can follow these steps:

1. Estimate how many hours per day you use that light bulb
on average. (Let’s say it’s 5 hours).

2. Multiply the light bulb’s watts by the average number of

hours you use it daily instead of the one hour used in the
formula above. (Let’s say your light bulb is 60 watts, so that
you would calculate 60 watts x 5 hours).

3. Solve the equation above using your light bulb’s actual

wattage and the actual average number of hours you use
that light bulb per day. (60 x 5 = 300 ÷ 1,000 = 0.3 kWh).

4. Divide your area’s average electricity cost by your light

bulb’s average daily kWh. ($0.13 ÷ 0.3 kWh = 43 cents per
day.

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5. 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 light
bulb on for an average of 5 hours per day, every day.
6. Repeat this equation for all light bulbs, appliances, and
other electrical devices in your home.
7. Add up the total 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?

source

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Now 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 month in 2019, which breaks down
to almost 30 kWh per day. If you’re curious to see where you
stand compared to others in your specific region or state,
check out this data provided by the U.S. energy information
administration.

How Many Kilowatts Should a

Generator Be to Run a House?
If you live in an area prone to weather that could result in
power outages, you can give yourself a little peace of mind
by investing in a generator. Freezers, lights, refrigerators, and
well pumps are just a few of the appliances you could keep
running during a power outage.

The most critical household equipment can be run with a

5,000 to 7,500 watt rated generator. If you would like your
entire house 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 wattage of
your necessary appliances will help you figure out what size
generator you will need.

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What’s the Difference Between

Watts and Amps?
Watts and amperes, also known as amps, are both units
used to measure electrical power consumption or
production. All electronic devices have their energy
consumption listed on their label in either watts or amps. If
the label on your device lists amps, you can calculate the
wattage by using a simple formula.

Here’s the Formula for Calculating Amps to Watts:

Wattage = Amps x 120

For example, if you have a 120V device with a 20 amp label,

that’s equivalent to a wattage of 2400. In equation form, that
is: 20A x 120V = 2400W

What Is the Kilowatt-Peak?

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source

Kilowatt-peak (kWp) refers to the rate a system can generate

energy during its peak performance, which is when it’s
working at its maximum capacity. We most commonly use
kWp for solar electricity systems. These systems are labeled
with a rating in kilowatts peak (kWp) so that consumers can
compare the output capabilities and size of various
photovoltaic panels.

A 2 kWp system will produce 2 kW of electrical power only

during the brightest sunshine 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 only
five square meters of roof space.

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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 industry. 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 now that electric cars
are becoming more common, they’re also becoming more
affordable. As gas prices are going up, the cost to charge
electric vehicles is going down. Take a look at this example
which explains how much it costs to charge a Tesla Model 3
at a home charging station:

The battery capacity is 75kW, and our current average

electricity rate that we’re going to use is 13 cents per kWh

This means that your charging cost 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 gas tank. When we use a gasoline cost of
$3.85 per gallon, it’s pretty clear that the $46.20 you spend
on filling up your car with gas (12 x $3.85 = $46.20) is way
more expensive than using the Tesla charging station. It
may get you 300-400 miles of drive time, but even

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charging the Tesla twice is less than half the cost of one
tank of gas.

Bonus: By driving an electric car, you’ll reduce your carbon

dioxide emissions and become a part of the fight against
climate change.

Measuring Your Energy Use Is Simple With a

Smart Meter
Smart meters automatically send your daily and hourly
energy usage data to your utility company’s central
computer system. This technology provides real-time data
allowing both parties an in-depth look 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 necessary.

Now You Know Kilowatts

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source

Now that you know how to use your newfound knowledge

of kilowatts to save energy, you may be interested in learning
about more ways to save on your electric bills. Check out
the Energy Savings marketplace where researching your
energy options is easy, plus learn more about getting started
on your path towards energy conservation today.

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