Background on Electricity

Background on Electricity

Electricity is created or generated by a variety of sources which include; wind turbines, solar panels, coal, nuclear and natural gas. Electricity is measured in Amps or current, and is converted to a higher voltage by a transformer. Work is a measure of the amount of Amps used at a Voltage. The measure of watts is power.

The chain from production to end-user can be reviewed at www.eia.gov/electricity

Electricity Conversion and comparison

Energy Equivalents

1 watt = is a very small amount of power, roughly the energy it takes to lift a 1 pound weight 1 foot

1 kilowatt hour (kWh) = 1,000 watts or a 100 watt light bulb on for 10 hours

1 Megawatt hour (MWh) = is equal to 1 million watts or 1,000 kWh

The Average US household uses = 11,280 kWh (2011 average annual electric consumption)

The average US coal power plant produces = 231,000,000,000 kWh (231 billion)

The average US nuclear power plant produces = 790,000,000,000 kWh (790 billion)