![]() If you run a 60-watt lightbulb for one hour, you've used 60 watt-hours, or 0.06 kilowatt-hours, since a kWh is 1,000 watt-hours. ![]() Energy is defined as the capacity to do work, such as creating heat, light, or motion. While a watt is a measure of power, a kWh is a measure of energy. When you get your utility bill, the electricity you've used is measured in kilowatt -hours (kWh). Watts measure power-kilowatt-hours measure energy Many other pieces of equipment come with power ratings to describe the rate at which they use energy. (One horsepower is equivalent to 750 watts, so that's a 286-hp car.) A small gasoline generator puts out 2,000 watts the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant puts out 650 megawatts, or 650,000,000 watts. A medium-sized car might consume 100,000 watts. A laborer working through the day will put out 75 watts of power. For those who are keeping track, one watt is equivalent to electricity flowing at a rate of one joule per second in the metric system, which is also equivalent to 3.4 Btus per hour.Ī 60-watt lightbulb will consume electricity at a rate of 60 watts. Watts are basically the miles-per-hour measurement of the electrical world-they tell you how fast the electrons are speeding down the highway. Power is a measure of the rate at which energy flows, and in electrical systems it is measured in watts (W). ![]() A few weeks ago I wrote about radiation terminology today I'm going to focus on energy terminology. You may want to become more aware of your energy use, and become more efficient. (Or if you are just into lightbulb jokes, see my green building lightbulb jokes here.)Ĭhances are, you may be worried about higher energy prices, global warming, energy insecurity, or all of the above and more. If you are still with me, dear reader, you have chosen the columnist over the mystery writer. SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SUSTAINABILITY REPORTINGīuildingGreen relies on our premium members, not on advertisers.
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