plug load power density
The electrical power used by plugged-in equipment, expressed in watts per unit of floor area.
Plug load power density is the amount of electrical power used by plugged-in appliances, expressed in watts per unit of floor area. It describes the consumption rate of electrical power used by a variety of electrical equipment, including computers, electronics, plugged-in lighting fixtures, and other appliances. Its value results from both the power demands within a particular space and the efficiency of the power-consuming devices.
Plugged-in lighting belongs in this equipment scope alongside computers and other appliances. Equipment does not become a plug load solely because it uses electricity; its plug connection is part of the definition.
The density relates the equipment's power demand to floor area. It does not state how many hours the equipment runs, so it cannot by itself give annual electricity consumption.
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. -
peak electric demand
The highest simultaneous electrical power demand actually recorded within an object or space. -
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.