Megawatt Hour

A megawatt hour (MWh) is a unit of measurement for electrical energy, often used in conjunction with photovoltaics. It indicates how much electrical energy is generated in one hour when a power of one megawatt (MW) is continuously available.

Simplified: Imagine a solar system with a capacity of one megawatt. If this system operates at full capacity for one hour, it generates an energy amount of one megawatt hour.

Why is the megawatt hour important in photovoltaics?

• Performance of systems: The MWh serves as a benchmark for the performance of a photovoltaic system. A larger system typically produces more MWh per year.
• Energy generation: The amount of energy generated by a solar system is stated in MWh. This is important for billing with the energy supplier or for self-consumption calculations.
• Economics: The MWh is a critical factor in calculating the economic viability of a photovoltaic system. The more energy a system generates, the faster the investment pays off.
• Comparability: By expressing energy in MWh, different solar systems can be compared regardless of their size.

Relationship to kilowatt hour (kWh):

• One megawatt hour equals 1000 kilowatt hours.
• The kilowatt hour is the more common unit for electricity consumption in private households.
• For larger systems such as solar parks, the megawatt hour is often used for clearer figures.

Example:

A large solar park with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) can generate about 500 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity under optimal conditions on a sunny day.

Relevant keywords: Photovoltaics, Power, Kilowatt hour (kWh), Renewable Energies, Solar Park