kilowatt-hour

[ kil-uh-wot-ouuhr, -ou-er ]

noun

1. a unit of energy, equivalent to the energy transferred or expended in one hour by one kilowatt of power; approximately 1.34 horsepower-hours. : kWh, K.W.H., kwhr

kilowatt-hour

noun

1. a unit of energy equal to the work done by a power of 1000 watts in one hour kWh

kilowatt-hour

1. A unit used to measure energy, especially electrical energy in commercial applications. One kilowatt-hour is equal to one kilowatt of power produced or consumed over a period of one hour, or 3.6 × 10 ⁶ joules.

kilowatt-hour

1. A unit of energy : the expenditure of one kilowatt of power for one hour. A toaster running for an hour will use about this much energy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilowatt-hour¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Energy Vault’s current systems can provide energy for about five to 10 cents a kilowatt-hour, according to Robert Piconi, the Westlake Village, California-based company’s chief executive officer.

From Seattle Times

California’s residential electric rates, which averaged 31.2 cents per kilowatt-hour in February, are the highest in the country after Hawaii, where rates were about 44 cents, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.

From New York Times

Charging costs 21 cents per kilowatt-hour, which means the typical Seattle commuter, who drives 175 miles a week, should be able to charge their EV for around $18 a week, Orenberg said.

From Seattle Times

Residential rates are 24 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with an average of 16 cents in the U.S. mainland.

From Seattle Times

The average cost of an electric vehicle battery, for example, has declined from about $1,000 per kilowatt-hour in 2010 to less than $200 today.

From Los Angeles Times