The Horse 2020/21

Environment & Technology

What is a kilowatt hour?

Did you know that one kilowatt-hour can vacuum for approximately one hour at medium speed (1,000-watt vacuum cleaner), drive an electric car for approximately 6.7 kilometers (with an average energy consumption of 15 kWh per 100 km), or light an energy-saving bulb for up to 90 hours? But, exactly, what do we mean by this energy unit?

A kilowatt hour (kWh) is the amount of energy consumed or emitted in one hour by a 1,000-watt electrical item (e.g., a machine, a person, or a light bulb). This unit of measurement is used to bill both electricity and heat costs.

How is a kilowatt hour calculated?
Power (watts) x time (hours) = power consumption in watt-hours (Wh), this divided by 1000 = consumption in kWh (kilowatt-hours)

Example:
How much does a 60 watt light bulb that burns for six hours consume?
60 watt light bulb x 6 hours of operation = 360 Wh : 1000 = 0.360 kWh

In my house hold the laptop is the device which use the most kwh. My parents and my sister use it and I use it too, but i use also my playstation 4, which use also kwh.

Task 17: The unit kWh

In my task I would like to calculate the electricity consumption. I always find it interesting what you can calculate from the electricity. First I want to enter in the power consumption calculator the number of watts, in my case it is 5. Then I enter in the calculator the number of hours, which was then 2. At the end, I can calculate this using my formula (see above) and come to a result of 0.33 kWh. You can calculate the result either with a formula or with the electricity calculator. The solution should be the same. 

Power (watts) x time (hours) = energy consumption in watt-hours (Wh), this divided by 1000 = consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh)

What was also exciting to break out the electricity consumption in the year. What did I calculate?

Living space in sqm * 9 kWh + 4 people in the household * 400 kWh + 15 electrical appliances in the household *400 = kWh in the year.

 

 

Daily example

As an example, I wanted to use my phone. The charger uses 45watt. So if I charge my phone for arround 3 hours daily, which I think is normal for me, then I use 0.135kwh! (45 * 3 = 0.135).

With 0.135kwh, I could turn on my led stripes for arround 100+ hours!

Another example would be my car. If I drive 3 hours straight, it would use 720kwh, as it has 240+- kw.

The calculation for kwh is:

Watt x Hours

kWh

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.   

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.

Task 17: The unit kWh

An LED-lamp with 6 watt, which is used for 750 hours per year, consumes 4,5 kWh.
6W x 750 hours = 4500 Watthours / 1000 = 4,5 kWh

An LED-TV with 100 watt, which is used for 1000 hours per year, consumes 100 kWh.
100W x 1000 hours = 100'000 Watthours / 1000 = 100 kWh

A vacuum cleaner (Staubsauger) with 1400 watt, which is used for 50 hours per year, consumes 70 kWh.
1400W x 50 hours = 70'000 Watthours / 1000 = 70 kWh

An electric bicycle with 500 watt, which is used for 100 hours per year, consumes 50 kWh.
500W x 100 hours = 50'000 Watthours / 1000 = 50 kWh.

 

This is the calculation:
Watt x Hours = Consumption of Electricity in Watthours / 1000 = Consumption of Electricity in kWh

Task 17: The unit kWh

A radio with 15 watt, it plays music for four hours, consumes 0.06 kWh. 
The math behind it: 15 W x 4 h = 60 Wh (0,06 kWh). 

 

What can you do with 1 kWh? 

  • About 133 slices of toast in a toaster oven 
  • Leave an energy-saving lamp burning for about 90 hours 
  • About 50 hours of working actively on a laptop 
  • Watch about 7 hours of TV 
  • Iron about 15 shirts 
  • Run a refrigerator with a capacity of 300 liters for about two days 
  • Do about one wash cycle with the washing machine 

Real life energy calculation

How much electricity does a 4-people-household need? What are the saving potentials per year?

Conditions:

--> Number of people: 4

--> Building: Appartement

--> Additional costs: 1200 Euros

--> Additional cost: once a year

--> Zip code 10115 (Berlin)

If you reduce the CO2 emissions to 1.2 t/year (using conventional electricity), how many trees do you need to tie up the amount of CO2?

Calculator

Livia & Ulza