The watt-hour (Wh) is a unit of energy that measures the amount of electricity consumed or generated over time. It is the energy equivalent to one watt of power consumed for one hour. While electricity bills commonly display kilowatt-hours (kWh), understanding watt-hours can give you clearer insights into the energy efficiency of your household. For instance, a 60-watt incandescent light bulb running for one hour uses 60 watt-hours of electricity, while an energy-efficient LED bulb might only use around 10 watt-hours for the same illumination.
Interestingly, the concept of the watt-hour helps in comprehending renewable energy systems. Solar panels, for example, are rated in watts, but their output over time is often expressed in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours. Knowing this can help you assess how much energy your solar array could generate or your battery storage can hold, emphasizing the real value of alternative energy sources.
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.
Watt-hours | Megawatt-hours |
---|---|
0
Wh
|
0
MWh
|
10
Wh
|
0.00001
MWh
|
20
Wh
|
0.00002
MWh
|
30
Wh
|
0.00003
MWh
|
40
Wh
|
0.00004
MWh
|
50
Wh
|
0.00005
MWh
|
60
Wh
|
0.00006
MWh
|
70
Wh
|
0.00007
MWh
|
80
Wh
|
0.00008
MWh
|
90
Wh
|
0.00009
MWh
|
100
Wh
|
0.0001
MWh
|
110
Wh
|
0.00011
MWh
|
120
Wh
|
0.00012
MWh
|
130
Wh
|
0.00013
MWh
|
140
Wh
|
0.00014
MWh
|
150
Wh
|
0.00015
MWh
|
160
Wh
|
0.00016
MWh
|
170
Wh
|
0.00017
MWh
|
180
Wh
|
0.00018
MWh
|
190
Wh
|
0.00019
MWh
|
200
Wh
|
0.0002
MWh
|
210
Wh
|
0.00021
MWh
|
220
Wh
|
0.00022
MWh
|
230
Wh
|
0.00023
MWh
|
240
Wh
|
0.00024
MWh
|
250
Wh
|
0.00025
MWh
|
260
Wh
|
0.00026
MWh
|
270
Wh
|
0.00027
MWh
|
280
Wh
|
0.00028
MWh
|
290
Wh
|
0.00029
MWh
|
300
Wh
|
0.0003
MWh
|
310
Wh
|
0.00031
MWh
|
320
Wh
|
0.00032
MWh
|
330
Wh
|
0.00033
MWh
|
340
Wh
|
0.00034
MWh
|
350
Wh
|
0.00035
MWh
|
360
Wh
|
0.00036
MWh
|
370
Wh
|
0.00037
MWh
|
380
Wh
|
0.00038
MWh
|
390
Wh
|
0.00039
MWh
|
400
Wh
|
0.0004
MWh
|
410
Wh
|
0.00041
MWh
|
420
Wh
|
0.00042
MWh
|
430
Wh
|
0.00043
MWh
|
440
Wh
|
0.00044
MWh
|
450
Wh
|
0.00045
MWh
|
460
Wh
|
0.00046
MWh
|
470
Wh
|
0.00047
MWh
|
480
Wh
|
0.00048
MWh
|
490
Wh
|
0.00049
MWh
|
500
Wh
|
0.0005
MWh
|
510
Wh
|
0.00051
MWh
|
520
Wh
|
0.00052
MWh
|
530
Wh
|
0.00053
MWh
|
540
Wh
|
0.00054
MWh
|
550
Wh
|
0.00055
MWh
|
560
Wh
|
0.00056
MWh
|
570
Wh
|
0.00057
MWh
|
580
Wh
|
0.00058
MWh
|
590
Wh
|
0.00059
MWh
|
600
Wh
|
0.0006
MWh
|
610
Wh
|
0.00061
MWh
|
620
Wh
|
0.00062
MWh
|
630
Wh
|
0.00063
MWh
|
640
Wh
|
0.00064
MWh
|
650
Wh
|
0.00065
MWh
|
660
Wh
|
0.00066
MWh
|
670
Wh
|
0.00067
MWh
|
680
Wh
|
0.00068
MWh
|
690
Wh
|
0.00069
MWh
|
700
Wh
|
0.0007
MWh
|
710
Wh
|
0.00071
MWh
|
720
Wh
|
0.00072
MWh
|
730
Wh
|
0.00073
MWh
|
740
Wh
|
0.00074
MWh
|
750
Wh
|
0.00075
MWh
|
760
Wh
|
0.00076
MWh
|
770
Wh
|
0.00077
MWh
|
780
Wh
|
0.00078
MWh
|
790
Wh
|
0.00079
MWh
|
800
Wh
|
0.0008
MWh
|
810
Wh
|
0.00081
MWh
|
820
Wh
|
0.00082
MWh
|
830
Wh
|
0.00083
MWh
|
840
Wh
|
0.00084
MWh
|
850
Wh
|
0.00085
MWh
|
860
Wh
|
0.00086
MWh
|
870
Wh
|
0.00087
MWh
|
880
Wh
|
0.00088
MWh
|
890
Wh
|
0.00089
MWh
|
900
Wh
|
0.0009
MWh
|
910
Wh
|
0.00091
MWh
|
920
Wh
|
0.00092
MWh
|
930
Wh
|
0.00093
MWh
|
940
Wh
|
0.00094
MWh
|
950
Wh
|
0.00095
MWh
|
960
Wh
|
0.00096
MWh
|
970
Wh
|
0.00097
MWh
|
980
Wh
|
0.00098
MWh
|
990
Wh
|
0.00099
MWh
|
1000
Wh
|
0.001
MWh
|
If you like the website, share it on social media.