definition
strict definition
peak electric demand
The highest simultaneous electrical power demand actually recorded within an object or space.
The peak electric demand of a structure, space, or object is the highest number of kilowatts consumed within it, by its users and integral systems together, at any one time. The number is derived from experience rather than potential.
The users and integral systems contribute to the same simultaneous demand. Adding separate equipment maxima reached at different times does not establish the peak actually experienced by the whole object.
Kilowatts describe the demand at that time. Annual electricity consumption is an energy total in kilowatt-hours and cannot supply a peak value by itself.
Related definitions
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annual electricity consumption
The total number of kilowatt-hours consumed by a structure or other object within a year. -
annual electricity production
The total number of kilowatt-hours produced within a structure or other object within a year. -
annual energy consumption rate
The annual energy usage in kilowatt-hours per square unit of gross floor space. -
lighting power density
The electrical power used to illuminate a space, expressed in watts per unit of area. -
plug load power density
The electrical power used by plugged-in equipment, expressed in watts per unit of floor area. -
power consumption
The number of kilowatts (kW) normally used by an object when fully operating. -
power output
The number of kilowatts (kW) normally generated by an object when fully operating.