Understanding power terminology.
Basic system terms
Electrical Energy:
The generation or use of electric power (W) over a period of time (h), often expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh), megawatt-hours (MWh) or gigawatt-hours (Gwh).
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kW – kilowatt = 1000 watts
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MW – Megawatt = 1 million watts = 1,000 kW
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GW – Gigawatt = 1 billion watts = 1,000 MW
Demand - Electric demand (load) is the amount of electricity you require at an instantaneous point in time . When you turn on an electric appliance, a “demand” for power is created. This instantaneous amount of electricity demand is measured in kilo Watts (kW).
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Appliances are rated either in Watts or amps .
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If your appliance is measured in amps, Calculate using current x voltage (e.g. 2.5 amps x 120 volts = 300 watts)
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The sum of all appliances that are on at any one time is your demand.
Peak demand is your maximum demand in a given time period (e.g. one month)
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