How do I convert MW to kW or W?

Formula : kW = MW × 1,000 W = MW × 1,000,000 Examples : 1 MW = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W 5 MW = 5,000 kW = 5,000,000 W 2.5 MW = 2,500 kW = 2,500,000 W 0.5 MW = 500 kW = 500,000 W MW to kW converter → MW to Watts converter →

How many homes can 1 MW power?

Average US home : ~1.2 kW average (30 kWh/day ÷ 24 hrs) 1 MW = 1,000 kW Calculation : 1,000 kW ÷ 1.2 kW/home ≈ 833 homes (average load) Regional variations : High AC use (Arizona, Texas): ~600-700 homes Moderate climate : ~700-900 homes Mild climate : ~900-1,200 homes Peak vs average : Average load : 1 MW = 800-900 homes Peak load (summer afternoon): 1 MW = 300-500 homes Example : 5 MW wind turbine powers ~4,000 homes on average

What is the difference between MW and MWh?

MW (Megawatt) = Power (rate of energy use/generation right now) MWh (Megawatt-hour) = Energy (total amount over time) Analogy : MW = speedometer (speed right now) MWh = odometer (total distance traveled) Example : 5 MW solar farm × 6 hours = 30 MWh energy produced 10 MW data center × 24 hours = 240 MWh daily consumption Power plant ratings : Always in MW (capacity) Energy production/consumption : Measured in MWh or GWh

How much does a 1 MW power plant produce per year?

Formula : Annual MWh = MW × hours/year × capacity factor 1 MW at 100% capacity : 8,760 MWh/year (365 days × 24 hours) Realistic production (accounting for capacity factor): Nuclear : 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 90% = 7,884 MWh/year Coal : 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 50% = 4,380 MWh/year Wind : 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 35% = 3,066 MWh/year Solar : 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 25% = 2,190 MWh/year Example : 5 MW wind turbine produces ~15,330 MWh/year (~1,700 homes)

How big is a 1 MW solar farm?

Solar panel efficiency : ~400W per panel (modern, 2024) Panels needed : 1,000,000 W ÷ 400 W = 2,500 panels Land area : Fixed tilt : 4-5 acres per MW Single-axis tracking : 6-8 acres per MW Dual-axis tracking : 8-10 acres per MW 1 MW solar farm typical specs : Panels : 2,500-3,000 (400W each) Land : 5-7 acres Annual production : 1,500-2,500 MWh (depending on location) Homes powered : ~150-250 homes Scaling : 100 MW solar farm = 500-700 acres (varies by location, technology)

Megawatt (MW) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:MW

Plural:megawatts

Category:Power

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What is a Megawatt?

Megawatt (MW) = 1 million watts = 1,000 kW. Used for power plants, industrial facilities, wind turbines, data centers. Wind turbine: 2-5 MW typical. Small power plant: 10-100 MW. Large factory: 5-50 MW consumption.

History of the Megawatt

SI metric prefix mega (10⁶) applied to watt. Standard unit for utility-scale power generation since early 20th century electrification. Critical for grid planning, renewable energy projects, industrial power management.

Quick Answer

What is a Megawatt? A megawatt (MW) = 1 million watts = 1,000 kilowatts. Used for measuring power plants, wind turbines, large buildings. Wind turbine: 2-5 MW. Small town: 20-50 MW. Data center: 10-100 MW. 1 MW powers ~400-800 homes. Use our power converter for conversions.

Definition

1 MW = 1,000,000 W = 1,000 kW = 1,341 hp = 3.412 million BTU/h = 0.001 GW

Common Uses

Renewable Energy: Wind turbines (2-15 MW), solar farms (1-100 MW). Power Generation: Small power plants, gas turbines, diesel generators. Industrial: Large factories, manufacturing plants, mining operations. Data Centers: Hyperscale facilities (20-100 MW), server farms.

Real-World Examples

Wind Turbines

Onshore turbine (old): 1-2 MW (2000s)
Modern onshore: 2-4 MW (2010s-2020s)
Large onshore: 4-6 MW (latest)
Offshore turbine: 6-15 MW (modern installations)
Haliade-X (GE): 14 MW (world's largest, 2024)
Typical wind farm: 50-300 MW (20-100 turbines)

Solar Power

Small solar farm: 1-5 MW (utility-scale start)
Medium solar farm: 5-50 MW
Large solar farm: 50-200 MW
Mega solar farm: 200-1,000+ MW (desert installations)
Rooftop commercial: 0.1-2 MW

Power Generation

Diesel generator (backup): 1-20 MW
Gas turbine (peaker): 20-300 MW
Small hydro plant: 1-50 MW
Geothermal plant: 10-100 MW
Biomass plant: 5-50 MW

Data Centers & Industrial

Large data center: 20-100 MW
Hyperscale data center: 100-300 MW (AWS, Google, Meta)
Manufacturing plant: 5-50 MW
Mining operation: 10-100 MW
Water treatment plant: 2-20 MW
Large hospital: 5-15 MW

Transportation & Infrastructure

Electric arc furnace (steel): 50-200 MW
Aluminum smelter: 100-500 MW
Desalination plant: 20-100 MW
Large airport: 10-50 MW
Subway system: 50-200 MW (major city)

Megawatt Conversion Formulas

To Watt:

1 MW = 1000000 W

Example: 5 megawatts = 5000000 watts

To Milliwatt:

1 MW = 1000000000 mW

Example: 5 megawatts = 5000000000 milliwatts

To Kilowatt:

1 MW = 1000 kW

Example: 5 megawatts = 5000 kilowatts

To Gigawatt:

1 MW = 0.001 GW

Example: 5 megawatts = 0.005 gigawatts

To Horsepower:

1 MW = 1341.02209 hp

Example: 5 megawatts = 6705.110448 horsepower

To Metric Horsepower:

1 MW = 1359.621617 PS

Example: 5 megawatts = 6798.108087 PS

To Electric Horsepower:

1 MW = 1340.482574 hp(E)

Example: 5 megawatts = 6702.412869 hp(E)

To BTU per Hour:

1 MW = 3412141.633128 BTU/h

Example: 5 megawatts = 17060708.165641 BTU/h

To BTU per Minute:

1 MW = 56869.027219 BTU/min

Example: 5 megawatts = 284345.136094 BTU/min

To BTU per Second:

1 MW = 947.81712 BTU/s

Example: 5 megawatts = 4739.085602 BTU/s

To Foot-pound per Second:

1 MW = 737562.149277 ft⋅lb/s

Example: 5 megawatts = 3687810.746386 ft⋅lb/s

To Foot-pound per Minute:

1 MW = 44253728.956638 ft⋅lb/min

Example: 5 megawatts = 221268644.783189 ft⋅lb/min

To Calorie per Second:

1 MW = 239005.736138 cal/s

Example: 5 megawatts = 1195028.680688 cal/s

To Kilocalorie per Hour:

1 MW = 860420.650096 kcal/h

Example: 5 megawatts = 4302103.250478 kcal/h

To Ton of Refrigeration:

1 MW = 284.345107 TR

Example: 5 megawatts = 1421.725536 TR

To Erg per Second:

1 MW = 10000000000000 erg/s

Example: 5 megawatts = 50000000000000 erg/s

To Joule per Second:

1 MW = 1000000 J/s

Example: 5 megawatts = 5000000 J/s

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula:

kW = MW × 1,000
W = MW × 1,000,000 Examples:
1 MW = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W
5 MW = 5,000 kW = 5,000,000 W
2.5 MW = 2,500 kW = 2,500,000 W
0.5 MW = 500 kW = 500,000 W MW to kW converter → MW to Watts converter →

Convert Megawatt

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