What this converter does
This converter turns energy in kilowatt-hours into the average power in kilowatts over a chosen time — or the reverse. Enter the kWh and the number of hours and read the kW draw. It is the everyday link between what your meter records and how hard a device pulls.
Energy is power multiplied by time, so power is energy divided by time. A 2 kWh use over 4 hours averages 0.5 kW. For the electrical rating side of a motor, see the kW to Amps converter.
The units it covers
Power and energy are different quantities — one is a rate, the other is a total. Time links them.
View all units & their values
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Mainly used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | kWh | E | What the meter bills; battery capacity |
| Average power | kW | P | The rate energy is used |
| Time | h | t | The period the energy is used over |
| Watt-hour | Wh | — | 1 kWh = 1,000 Wh |
The formula
Average power is the energy used divided by the time taken:
kW = kWh ÷ hours (and kWh = kW × hours)Where:
- kWh = the energy used, in kilowatt-hours
- hours = the time the energy was used over
- kW = the resulting average power
Worked example
A heater uses 6 kWh over 3 hours. Find its average power.
kW = kWh ÷ hours6 ÷ 3 = 2 kWThe heater averaged 2 kW over the three hours it ran.
The units in this example
A kilowatt-hour is the energy of one kilowatt sustained for one hour. It is the unit your utility bills and the way battery and generator capacity is stated.
- 1 kWh = 1 kW for 1 hour
- 1 kWh = 1,000 Wh
- 6 kWh ÷ 3 h = 2 kW
- kWh = kW × hours
The rate at which energy is used. The same energy over a shorter time means a higher power draw — which is what cables, breakers and inverters must handle.
- kW = kWh ÷ hours
- 2 kWh in 0.5 h = 4 kW
- 1 kW = 1,000 watts
- 1 kW for 24 h = 24 kWh
FAQ
Sources
US EIA — energy units & calculators · US DOE — estimating energy use