The “Energy Blind” refers to the lack of awareness or understanding of where our energy comes from and how it is produced. Many people take energy for granted, not realizing the complexities and challenges involved in generating, distributing, and consuming energy. We flip a switch, and the lights turn on. We plug in our devices, and they come to life. We drive our cars, and they take us where we want to go. But have you ever stopped to think about where the energy comes from that powers our daily lives?
For many of us, energy is an invisible force that we take for granted. We don’t think about the intricate systems, infrastructure, and processes that bring energy to our doorstep. We’re blind to the ways in which energy is produced, distributed, and consumed. It’s the assumption that energy will always be available, without considering the intricacies of the energy system.
To break free from the Energy Blind and develop a deeper understanding of our energy systems, so we can better appreciate the significance of solar energy and other renewable energy sources in the transition to a sustainable, clean energy future, we think it is necessary to clarify some key terms. When we are talking about electrical energy, we often find our customers misunderstand the difference between energy and power. It is important to understand the difference between electrical energy and power and the units we use to describe these terms. To put these terms into perspective:
- A Kilowatt (kW) is a measure of power, or the rate at which electricity is used or produced. It’s like the speed of a car. A 1 kW electric motor uses 1,000 watts of power.
- A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a measure of energy, or the total amount of electricity used or produced over a period of time. It’s like the distance travelled by a car. A 1 kWh battery stores 1,000 watt-hours of energy.
As an example:
- A 100W light bulb uses 0.1 kW of power. If you leave it on for 10 hours, it will consume 1 kWh of energy (0.1 kW x 10 hours).
- A 2000W kettle uses 2kW of power. If it takes 5 minutes to boil, it will consume 0.167 kWh of energy (2kW x 5/60 hours)
- When we are looking at PV Solar generation, the amount of energy produced depends on the amount of sunlight received. For example, a 5kWp solar power system produces 5 kW of power in optimal full sun conditions. If it receives the equivalent of full sun for 5 hours, it will generate 25 kWh of energy (5 kW x 5 hours). If that same solar power system only receives the equivalent of full sun for 2 hours, it will generate 10 kW of power in optimal full sun conditions of energy (5 kW x 2 hours).
• Note: We often use the term Peak Sun Hours (PSH) to refer to the amount of time per day of equivalent optimal full sun conditions. Due to the natural variability of solar irradiance this will change on daily and seasonal conditions.
