kilowatteja

Kilowatt (kW) is a unit of power in the International System of Units (SI). It signifies 1000 watts, the rate at which energy is transferred or consumed. In Finnish, the unit is kilowatti, and its plural form is kilowatteja.

Power, not energy, is measured in kilowatts. Kilowatts describe how quickly energy is used or produced at a given moment, whereas energy use over time is expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, a 2 kW space heater delivers energy at a rate of 2 kilowatts; if it runs for one hour, it would use 2 kWh of energy.

Kilowatts appear in many practical contexts. Household appliances are commonly rated in kilowatts (for instance, ovens around 2–3 kW, heaters and air conditioners in the 1–3 kW range). Electric motors for vehicles and machinery are also specified in kilowatts. In energy planning and generation, kilowatts and megawatts indicate the capacity of power plants and renewable installations. One kilowatt is roughly equivalent to 1.341 horsepower (mechanical).

Related concepts include the kilowatt-hour, which combines power with time to measure energy, and the watt, the base unit for power. Kilowatts provide a convenient way to compare the instantaneous power demands or outputs of devices and systems, while kilowatt-hours quantify the total energy consumed or produced over a period.