Megawatt (MW)
The megawatt, symbol MW, equals 1,000,000 watts or 1,000 kilowatts. It is a crucial unit in power generation and large-scale energy utilization. The term first appeared in the early 20th century as national grids and industrial-scale electricity production developed. The megawatt became a key measure for the output of power plants, wind farms, and large infrastructure projects. For example, a modern wind turbine may produce between 2 and 5 MW, while large nuclear plants can generate more than 1,000 MW. The megawatt links laboratory science with industrial application, making it vital in global energy planning and addressing climate challenges. Finally, for understanding heating and cooling, a different unit—BTU per hour—is often used, especially in North America.
Kilowatt (kW)
The kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 watts. As electricity became essential in the late 19th and 20th centuries, the kilowatt became the common unit for household appliances, motors, and power generation. Household energy use is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), which track energy consumption over time. Kilowatts are also used for engines, renewable energy, and national grids. By scaling up from the watt, the kilowatt lets us express real-world power needs and production more easily. As we consider other systems for measuring power, it is useful to explore both non-metric and higher-magnitude units such as horsepower and the megawatt.