Energy vs. power

Energy is the capacity to do work, whether stored (potential energy) or in motion (kinetic energy); electrical energy is typically measured in kilowatt-hours. Power is the rate at which energy is produced, transferred, or used, measured in watts (or kilowatts, megawatts). The everyday analogy: energy is like the total distance a car travels, while power is like its speed at any given moment. Nearly every other term downstream (kW vs. kWh, capacity vs. generation) depends on keeping this distinction straight.