On Kilowatts and Kilowatt Hours for Solar

Many consumers like to have a detailed understanding of a given product or system before they invest in it, and a great example here is the realm of solar panels and solar power. In particular, many prospective solar panel clients wonder about metrics like kilowatts and kilowatt hours, which are some of the primary ones used to measure energy in the solar world.

At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we're happy to detail these and other technical specifics of any of our residential and commercial solar panel services throughout Utah and Idaho. What are kilowatts and kilowatt hours, why do they matter in solar energy, and what else do you need to know here? Let's dive in!

Basic Definitions

Let's start with some simple terms that break down the way energy is measured:

• Watt: A watt, simply abbreviated "W" in most contexts, is a unit of power used to describe electrical energy. Think of this as the "strength" of a given system, like a solar panel or battery. A watt measures rates of power over a period of time - a 100-watt light bulb uses a higher rate of energy than a 50-watt bulb, for instance, and requires higher electrical flow. This same concept can be applied to any other form of power.
• Kilowatt: As you may have guessed, a kilowatt (abbreviated kW) is 1000 watts. So 100-watts = 0.1kW, and 500-watts = 0.5kW. This unit of power helps to measure the electrical energy rate provided by larger systems like solar arrays or industrial wind turbines.
• Watt-hour: Things get a bit more complex when we introduce time into the equation. A watt-hour, abbreviated Wh, is a unit used to measure the amount of energy used over time - and since an hour is a convenient chunk, it's typically used. One watt-hour, then, refers to one watt of our expended for one hour.
• Kilowatt-hour: And once again, a kilowatt-hour (abbreviated kWh) is equal to 1000 watt-hours. If you leave that 100-watt light bulb running for 10 hours, you'll have used 1kWh of energy - no matter the source.
• Megawatt-hour: You may also hear of megawatt-hours (abbreviated MWh), which are used to measure larger systems - one MWh is equal to 1,000 kWh.

How They Matter for Solar Power

So why are all these terms important in the realm of solar power? Well, watts and kilowatts are helpful for measuring the amount of electricity a given solar panel or system can produce. The higher its wattage rating, the more efficient it will be - and correspondingly, the more kWh it will create over time.

Kilowatt-hours matter because they tell you exactly how much electricity you're pulling from the sun. If your solar system creates a kWh of energy and you use this to power 100-watt bulbs for 10 hours, then that's exactly what you have - 1kWh used in total. Knowing this helps you get an exact sense of your own energy production and consumption and plan accordingly.

For larger commercial solar power systems, megawatt-hours are used to measure energy produced and consumed on a more global level.

Energy Typically Costs by the kWh

Across many industries, not just solar, energy is typically priced in terms of kilowatt-hours. This means you're charged for the total amount of electricity you take from the grid - and as such, solar power can be a great way to reduce your monthly bills since it puts free energy back into the system.

Other Places Where You'll See These Metrics

And finally, while solar power may be the most common context where you'll see these metrics appear, they're also used in other areas. The same kWh metrics can often be found on your household electricity bill, for instance - and watts and kilowatts are commonly used to measure the amount of energy coming from wind turbines or other forms of renewable energy.

You may also find watt-hours and kilowatt-hours appearing on the labels of household batteries, letting you know how much energy they can store.

Ultimately, understanding the relationship between these three key measures - watts, watt-hours, and kilowatt-hours - is essential to making informed decisions about your own solar power system or other form of renewable energy. With this knowledge in hand, you can start to get a better sense of exactly how much energy you're producing and consuming - and decide whether solar power is the right choice for you.

For more here, or to learn about any of our solar panel solutions for Idaho and Utah, speak to the pros at Intermountain Wind & Solar today.