Estimate your electricity consumption and potential costs.
Watts
Hours/Day
Days/Week
Weeks/Year
$/kWh
Estimated Annual Usage & Cost:
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Understanding Your Electricity Usage
This calculator helps you estimate how much electricity (measured in kilowatt-hours, kWh) your appliances consume over a year and the associated costs. Understanding your energy consumption is the first step towards managing your electricity bills and reducing your carbon footprint.
How it Works: The Math Behind the Calculation
The calculation is based on a few key metrics:
Device Power (Watts): This is the rate at which an appliance consumes energy. It's usually listed on the device's label or in its manual.
Usage Time: This is the total duration the appliance is used.
Electricity Cost: This is the price your utility company charges for each kilowatt-hour consumed.
The formula used is as follows:
Total Hours of Operation Per Year: Hours Per Day * Days Per Week * Weeks Per Year
Total Watt-hours Per Year: Device Power (Watts) * Total Hours of Operation Per Year
Total Kilowatt-hours Per Year (kWh): Since 1 kilowatt (kW) = 1000 watts (W), we divide the total watt-hours by 1000.
Total Watt-hours Per Year / 1000
Estimated Annual Cost: Total Kilowatt-hours Per Year * Cost Per kWh
Why Track Your kWh Usage?
Budgeting: Predict and manage your household electricity expenses.
Energy Efficiency: Identify high-consumption devices and consider upgrades or changes in usage patterns to save energy.
Environmental Impact: Understand the energy footprint of your appliances and make informed choices to reduce consumption.
Appliance Performance: Ensure your appliances are running efficiently and detect potential issues.
Example Calculation
Let's consider a common household appliance:
A television that uses 150 Watts.
It's used for 3 hours per day.
It's used 5 days per week.
It's used for 50 weeks per year.
The electricity rate is $0.12 per kWh.
Step 1: Total Hours Per Year 3 hours/day * 5 days/week * 50 weeks/year = 750 hours/year
Step 2: Total Watt-hours Per Year 150 Watts * 750 hours/year = 112,500 Watt-hours/year
Step 3: Total kWh Per Year 112,500 Watt-hours/year / 1000 = 112.5 kWh/year