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Select a measurement and convert between different units
Single conversion
To convert from Kilowatt (kW) to Megawatt (MW), use the following formula:
Let's convert 5 Kilowatt (kW) to Megawatt (MW).
Using the formula:
Therefore, 5 Kilowatt (kW) is equal to Megawatt (MW).
Here are some quick reference conversions from Kilowatt (kW) to Megawatt (MW):
| Kilowatts | Megawatts |
|---|---|
| 0.000001 kW | MW |
| 0.001 kW | MW |
| 0.1 kW | MW |
| 1 kW | MW |
| 2 kW | MW |
| 3 kW | MW |
| 4 kW | MW |
| 5 kW | MW |
| 6 kW | MW |
| 7 kW | MW |
| 8 kW | MW |
| 9 kW | MW |
| 10 kW | MW |
| 20 kW | MW |
| 30 kW | MW |
| 40 kW | MW |
| 50 kW | MW |
| 100 kW | MW |
| 1000 kW | MW |
| 10000 kW | MW |
A kilowatt (kW) is a standard unit used to measure power.
It's part of the metric system and is equal to exactly one thousand watts (1,000 W).
The prefix "kilo-" simply means one thousand, which makes converting between watts and kilowatts easy:
1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 watts (W)
You'll commonly see this unit on labels for engines, electric motors, and many household appliances to indicate their power consumption or output.
It's easy to mix these two up, but the distinction is crucial: they measure power versus energy.
When you get your electricity bill, you are being charged for the total energy you used (the kilowatt-hours).
You are not charged for the peak power you demanded (the kilowatts).
You can find kilowatt (kW) power ratings on many high-power devices in your home.
This rating indicates how much power a device requires to operate. Here are a few typical examples:
To summarize, just remember these key points:
A megawatt (MW) is a unit used to measure power.
It's equal to one million watts.
To put it simply, it's a way to describe a huge amount of electricity being used or generated at a single moment.
One megawatt (1 MW) can power between 750 and 1,000 homes at any given moment.
This number can change depending on what's running in each home (like air conditioning on a hot day).
It's a helpful estimate used by grid operators to understand how much electricity a community needs.
It's easy to mix up megawatts (MW) and megawatt-hours (MWh). Here's a simple way to understand the difference between MW vs. MWh:
So, a power plant has a capacity measured in MW (how much electricity it can make at once).
In contrast, your electricity bill shows your consumption in MWh (how much you actually used over a month).
A megawatt is a tremendous amount of power. To understand its scale, here's a look at the capacity of different power sources: