The megawatt-hour (MWh) is a unit of energy that measures electricity production, consumption, or energy flow over time. It is commonly used to bill large-scale electricity consumers, such as factories or entire cities. To put it into perspective, one megawatt-hour can power about 330 homes for an hour or a single home for 330 hours! In the realm of renewable energy, just one megawatt-hour of wind energy can offset over 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions—a significant environmental benefit.
Moreover, the world’s energy needs are so vast that in 2022, global electricity consumption soared to over 26,000 terawatt-hours (TWh), where one terawatt-hour equates to one million megawatt-hours. This highlights how crucial units like the MWh are in understanding and managing our energy use and impact.
Named after the English physicist James Prescott Joule, the joule is a unit of energy in the International System of Units. A single joule represents the energy transferred when a force of one newton acts over a meter. To put it in everyday terms, the energy used to lift a small apple one meter off the ground is approximately one joule. Interestingly, the joule is also the energy released in one second by a current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm, showcasing its versatility across both mechanical and electrical domains.
While joules measure energy, they can also power curiosity. For instance, the daily recommended caloric intake for an average adult translates to roughly 8,700,000 joules. This highlights the joule’s role not only in physics but also in our nutrition and daily energy consumption, offering a glimpse into the complex interplay between energy, food, and our bodies.
| Megawatt-hours | Joules |
|---|---|
0
MWh
|
0
J
|
0.1
MWh
|
3.6e+8
J
|
0.2
MWh
|
7.2e+8
J
|
0.3
MWh
|
1.08e+9
J
|
0.4
MWh
|
1.44e+9
J
|
0.5
MWh
|
1.8e+9
J
|
0.6
MWh
|
2.16e+9
J
|
0.7
MWh
|
2.52e+9
J
|
0.8
MWh
|
2.88e+9
J
|
0.9
MWh
|
3.24e+9
J
|
1
MWh
|
3.6e+9
J
|
1.1
MWh
|
3.96e+9
J
|
1.2
MWh
|
4.32e+9
J
|
1.3
MWh
|
4.68e+9
J
|
1.4
MWh
|
5.04e+9
J
|
1.5
MWh
|
5.4e+9
J
|
1.6
MWh
|
5.76e+9
J
|
1.7
MWh
|
6.12e+9
J
|
1.8
MWh
|
6.48e+9
J
|
1.9
MWh
|
6.84e+9
J
|
2
MWh
|
7.2e+9
J
|
2.1
MWh
|
7.56e+9
J
|
2.2
MWh
|
7.92e+9
J
|
2.3
MWh
|
8.28e+9
J
|
2.4
MWh
|
8.64e+9
J
|
2.5
MWh
|
9e+9
J
|
2.6
MWh
|
9.36e+9
J
|
2.7
MWh
|
9.72e+9
J
|
2.8
MWh
|
1.008e+10
J
|
2.9
MWh
|
1.044e+10
J
|
3
MWh
|
1.08e+10
J
|
3.1
MWh
|
1.116e+10
J
|
3.2
MWh
|
1.152e+10
J
|
3.3
MWh
|
1.188e+10
J
|
3.4
MWh
|
1.224e+10
J
|
3.5
MWh
|
1.26e+10
J
|
3.6
MWh
|
1.296e+10
J
|
3.7
MWh
|
1.332e+10
J
|
3.8
MWh
|
1.368e+10
J
|
3.9
MWh
|
1.404e+10
J
|
4
MWh
|
1.44e+10
J
|
4.1
MWh
|
1.476e+10
J
|
4.2
MWh
|
1.512e+10
J
|
4.3
MWh
|
1.548e+10
J
|
4.4
MWh
|
1.584e+10
J
|
4.5
MWh
|
1.62e+10
J
|
4.6
MWh
|
1.656e+10
J
|
4.7
MWh
|
1.692e+10
J
|
4.8
MWh
|
1.728e+10
J
|
4.9
MWh
|
1.764e+10
J
|
5
MWh
|
1.8e+10
J
|
5.1
MWh
|
1.836e+10
J
|
5.2
MWh
|
1.872e+10
J
|
5.3
MWh
|
1.908e+10
J
|
5.4
MWh
|
1.944e+10
J
|
5.5
MWh
|
1.98e+10
J
|
5.6
MWh
|
2.016e+10
J
|
5.7
MWh
|
2.052e+10
J
|
5.8
MWh
|
2.088e+10
J
|
5.9
MWh
|
2.124e+10
J
|
6
MWh
|
2.16e+10
J
|
6.1
MWh
|
2.196e+10
J
|
6.2
MWh
|
2.232e+10
J
|
6.3
MWh
|
2.268e+10
J
|
6.4
MWh
|
2.304e+10
J
|
6.5
MWh
|
2.34e+10
J
|
6.6
MWh
|
2.376e+10
J
|
6.7
MWh
|
2.412e+10
J
|
6.8
MWh
|
2.448e+10
J
|
6.9
MWh
|
2.484e+10
J
|
7
MWh
|
2.52e+10
J
|
7.1
MWh
|
2.556e+10
J
|
7.2
MWh
|
2.592e+10
J
|
7.3
MWh
|
2.628e+10
J
|
7.4
MWh
|
2.664e+10
J
|
7.5
MWh
|
2.7e+10
J
|
7.6
MWh
|
2.736e+10
J
|
7.7
MWh
|
2.772e+10
J
|
7.8
MWh
|
2.808e+10
J
|
7.9
MWh
|
2.844e+10
J
|
8
MWh
|
2.88e+10
J
|
8.1
MWh
|
2.916e+10
J
|
8.2
MWh
|
2.952e+10
J
|
8.3
MWh
|
2.988e+10
J
|
8.4
MWh
|
3.024e+10
J
|
8.5
MWh
|
3.06e+10
J
|
8.6
MWh
|
3.096e+10
J
|
8.7
MWh
|
3.132e+10
J
|
8.8
MWh
|
3.168e+10
J
|
8.9
MWh
|
3.204e+10
J
|
9
MWh
|
3.24e+10
J
|
9.1
MWh
|
3.276e+10
J
|
9.2
MWh
|
3.312e+10
J
|
9.3
MWh
|
3.348e+10
J
|
9.4
MWh
|
3.384e+10
J
|
9.5
MWh
|
3.42e+10
J
|
9.6
MWh
|
3.456e+10
J
|
9.7
MWh
|
3.492e+10
J
|
9.8
MWh
|
3.528e+10
J
|
9.9
MWh
|
3.564e+10
J
|
10
MWh
|
3.6e+10
J
|
If you like the website, share it on social media.