What is a kilowatthour (kWh)?
The kilowatt hour is a unit of measurement in the field of energy. This is how the consumption of electricity is calculated in kilowatt hours (abbreviation: kWh).
A kilowatt hour is the energy that a consumer (for example an electric car or a hair dryer) consumes or produces in one hour with an output of one kilowatt. Electrical power is usually measured in watts - this is named after Scottish inventor James Watt.
A kilowatts corresponds to 1,000 watts (W). For example, if you have a hair dryer that has 2,000 watts of power, it consumes 2 kWh of electricity in one hour.
Calculate kilowatt hour (kWh) - this is how it works
You can easily calculate the consumption of one of your devices in kilowatt hours using a formula. To do this, multiply the energy output of your device by the time in hours that it is switched on. You get the consumption in watt hours (Wh). If you now divide everything by 1,000, you get the consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh).
Consumption in kilowatt hours = (watts x hours of consumption)/1,000
What can you do with a kilowatt hour (kWh)?
Would you like to know which things you need 1 kWh for in everyday life? Here are a few examples.
With one kilowatt hour, you can:
- Dein electric car Drive around 6 km (with a consumption of 17 kWh per 100 km)
- Use your hair dryer with 2200 watts of power for about 27 minutes
- Let your light burn for 200 hours (with a 5 watt LED lamp)
- Surf the Internet via WiFi for 4 days
- approx. 7 hours of television
How much does a kilowatt hour (kWh) cost in Germany?
Energy prices have risen significantly as a result of the current situation. At the moment, a new customer in Germany pays an average of 45 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. In addition to providers' procurement costs and margins, this also includes taxes, duties and levies - e.g. the EEG surcharge, value added tax and electricity tax.
Existing and primary supply customers usually pay slightly less for their electricity. But all figures for 2022 are more: The average price per kilowatt hour has risen by around 40% compared to 2021.
Also read about this: This is how the charging price is calculated at the charging station