What this converter does
This converter turns megawatt-hours of energy into average megawatts and back. Enter the hours over which the energy is spread — 240 MWh over 24 hours averages 10 MW. Type a value and read the result as you type.
Energy (MWh) is the total; power (MW) is the rate. Dividing energy by time gives the average power, which this does directly.
The units it covers
Power (MW) and energy (MWh) differ by time — energy is power sustained over a number of hours.
View all units & their values
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Mainly used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megawatt | MW | power | Rate of generation or load |
| Megawatt-hour | MWh | energy | Energy over a period |
| Time | h | input | Duration in hours |
The formula
Energy is power multiplied by time, so megawatt-hours equal megawatts times the hours run:
MWh = MW × hoursWhere:
- MW = power in megawatts
- MWh = energy in megawatt-hours
- hours = duration the power runs
Worked example
What average power is 240 MWh over 24 hours?
MW = MWh ÷ hours240 ÷ 24 = 10 MWSo 240 MWh delivered over a day is an average of 10 MW.
The units in this example
A quantity of energy — one megawatt sustained for one hour. Selectable as kWh, GWh or Wh too.
- 1 MWh = 1,000 kWh
- 1 MWh = 1 MW for 1 h
- 240 MWh ÷ 24 h = 10 MW
- MW = MWh ÷ hours
A rate of power — one million watts. Also selectable as kW, GW or W on this converter.
- 1 MW = 1,000 kW
- 1 MW for 1 h = 1 MWh
- 10 MW × 24 h = 240 MWh
- MWh = MW × hours