Subkilowatt

Subkilowatt is a non-technical, relative descriptor used to refer to electrical power ratings below one kilowatt (1000 watts). It is not an official SI unit, but it appears in engineering, product labeling, and energy discussions to distinguish smaller power draws from kilowatt-scale equipment. The subkilowatt range encompasses devices from a few watts to several hundred watts. Typical examples include household lighting (60–120 W per lamp), small fans, compact audio equipment, computer peripherals, chargers, and embedded electronics that draw power in the tens to hundreds of watts.

In energy management, subkilowatt devices are often central to discussions of energy efficiency, standby power, and demand-side management, because their cumulative energy consumption can be significant in dense device populations. For solar and off-grid systems, subkilowatt projects typically refer to scales under 1 kW, such as portable solar generators or small PV arrays. While useful for categorization, the term is informal and definitions can vary by industry and author; where precision is needed, specific power ratings should be cited in watts (W), milliwatts (mW), or kilowatts (kW).