Convert Calories to Megawatt-Hours
Convert Calories (cal) to Megawatt-Hours (MWh) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
MWh = cal × 1.162222222e-9
About Calories
A calorie (cal) - the thermochemical calorie - is exactly 4.184 J, defined as the heat to raise 1 g of water by 1°C. Standard since 1954. The calorie is the fundamental unit of heat measurement in thermochemistry: glucose combustion releases 669.9 kcal/mol; water vaporisation requires 539.7 cal/g. Bond dissociation energies in quantum chemistry are often quoted in kcal/mol. Note: the dietary Calorie (capital C) on food labels is 1 kcal = 4,184 J - a factor-of-1,000 difference that causes persistent confusion. 1 cal = 4.184 J = 1.163 × 10⁻³ Wh.
About Megawatt-Hours
A megawatt-hour (MWh) is the energy from 1 MW for one hour - exactly 3.6 GJ. It is the standard unit for wholesale electricity trading. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) specify capacity and price in $/MWh or €/MWh. A 5 MW wind turbine at full capacity generates 5 MWh/h. Primary aluminium smelting consumes 13-15 MWh per tonne. The Moss Landing battery (California) stores 3,287 MWh. The daily output of a 1 GW nuclear plant at 90% capacity factor is ~21,600 MWh. 1 MWh = 3.6 GJ = 3,412,141 BTU = 1,000 kWh.
Quick Reference Table
| Calories (cal) | Megawatt-Hours (MWh) |
|---|---|
| 1 cal | 1.162 × 10-9 MWh |
| 2 cal | 2.324 × 10-9 MWh |
| 5 cal | 5.811 × 10-9 MWh |
| 10 cal | 1.162 × 10-8 MWh |
| 25 cal | 2.906 × 10-8 MWh |
| 50 cal | 5.811 × 10-8 MWh |
| 100 cal | 1.162 × 10-7 MWh |