4.1 Microwave

Upon researching various appliances websites, such as Coolblue [13], bol.com [11], or Amazon [9], we con- cluded that microwaves typically have a maximal wattage within the range of 700-1000 watt. From these websites, we also observed that a microwave has a median wattage of 900 W. Therefore, we have opted for 900 W as the default option for the comparison.

4.2 Showering

Showering is a more difficult activity to get an accurate value for since this is partly dependent on the boiler you are using. To isolate this problem, we have chosen to base our estimation on electric showers. Electric showers have a dedicated tank that they heat using an electric heating component. The inner workings are similar to a kettle. After researching various websites [10] [14], we figured that an electric shower has a typical power consumption of around 9000 W, or 9 kW, within a range of 8-10 kW. This also allows for a different magnitude of measurements to be compared to this, as we are one order of magnitude bigger than with the microwave example.

4.3 Train

For a train, we have opted to choose between the different Dutch trains, as they have building specifications that can be found online [12]. These trains can range from 1400-2400 kW, with most recent trains hovering around 2000 kW. This again falls into a new magnitude and is a comprehensible example of energy usage.

4.4 Rocket

The rocket is a more difficult example, as most of the rocket engine measure their functionality in terms of lift. However, these can be converted back into wattage. In this example, we have picked the rocket that has launched people to the moon, the Saturn V rocket. This rocket can produce a wattage of around 60000 MW [nasnas2011], the largest wattage currently on the list.

4.5 Refrigerator

We used an American-style refrigerator as a reference for our comparison. This refrigerator differs from typical refrigerators, in that it is much bigger, and contains multiple doors. Therefore, its wattage is higher than an average European refrigerator: 500 W [19].

4.6 Windmill

For gathering information about windmill wattage, we consulted the information provided by a windmill operator in the Netherlands, which stated that the average windmill in the Netherlands has a wattage of 1 MW [27]. We assumed that the windmills used in the Netherlands are similar to other windmills used in the world, or at least similar to the ones used in the Global North. Thus, we used 1 MW as the wattage for windmills.

4.7 Solar panel

Solar panels are available in a wide range of options, so it is important to be clear about which solar panel we use. For our application, we used a 300 W solar panel in our calculations, which is comparable with the solar panels that are on the market today, since these have a range of 250 to 400 watts of power [20]. Since we assume that most consumers will not have a high-end solar panel, we have opted to use 300 W in our calculations, instead of 400 W.

4.8 Kilogram of beef

For beef, we consider the calorie intake that eating a kilogram of beef would get you. An alternative would be the amount of energy stored as described in E = m ∗ c2. However, most people think of calorie intake when considering meat intake. While the estimates vary, they typically stay in the range of 2000-2500 calories per kilogram of beef [1] [2]. If we convert this with our tool, we get a range of 8000 to 10500 kJ. Again, we will go for an average rate, which is around 9000 kJ per kilo of beef consumed. This rather unique comparison option in our list makes it possible for consumers to be able to estimate how a tradeoff would look like: ”Do I do an activity that consumes a certain amount of energy or would I rather have some beef instead?”

4.9 F1 car

An F1 car is also an intuitive way to represent a large amount of power. An F1 car engine has around 1050 horsepower [4] [15]. We can convert this to around 780 kW. Although this is not the highest it has been in Formula One history [5], it is the most recent value and therefore the most accurate value to use here.

4.10 Rowing

For rowing, we have two types of rowing that can be considered: Aerobic rowing and sprint rowing. In general, aerobic rowing uses mainly you aerobic systems to provide power, while sprint rowing greatly relies on your anaerobic systems. Your anaerobic system can deliver more power and are able to generate near- instant power. However, this system quickly runs out of energy, as the molecules that have their own oxygen stored within are quickly depleted. After this, your body will have to rely on aerobic system, which requires oxygen that is supplied by your circulatory system. Power output changes from person to person and mostly depends on your mass. For the average human, the power output is around 300 W. For the average woman, which weighs around 65 kg, the sprint rowing produces around 300 W. For a man, who is typically heavier with an average of about 85 kg, the sprint rowing output is up to 400 W [3]. We will take the upper band of the average woman, so for this metric, we have selected 300 W, as it is more inclusive since this value is reachable by a majority of people.

4.11 100-meter dash of Usain Bolt

As described in [6], the peak power output delivered by Usain Bolt for his world record is 2600 W. This peak power output is reached in the very beginning of the race, at around 0.89 seconds. Upon diving deeper in the mechanics of the 100 meter dash, we have discovered that the theoretical upper limit of power output can be significantly higher, around 4400 W [23]. For the average human, the power output is significantly lower, at around 60 W per kg of body weight, which would total theoretically 4200 W of output for an average weight of 70 kg. This is a theoretical limit that is not typically achieved by the average human. Just like sprint rowing, mentioned in ??, the 100 meter dash greatly relies on the anaerobic system to deliver the energy needed to do the exercise. This is due to the explosiveness and having only limited oxygen intake, which alone would be insufficient to supply the energy needed.

4.12 Tour de France cyclist

For the Tour de France, power output is regularly measured to check the performance of participating cyclists. The most power is generated in the sprints, which typically happen at the end of the race. For example, Mark Cavendish, holder of the English record for most Tour stages won [6], produces an output of 1500 W in these final sprints, which can result in speeds of over 70 km/h.

4.13 Air conditioning

Air conditioner use an enormous amount of energy when they are in operation. Energy consumption of air conditioners vary between models, from 500 to 4000 watts of energy. [24] For our calculations, we took the rough average of this range, which is 2000 watts. We also assumed that the air conditioner is running at full power, which is an important assumption, since air conditioners go through a number of on/off-cycles each hour, which means that they will use less power than the power stated “on the box” [24].

4.14 Cheetah top speed

For our information on the wattage of a cheetah running at top speed, we relied on [26], which has calculated the locomotion dynamics of cheetahs in Botswana using GPS. With that research, they found that the cheetah has a top speed of 93 km/h.

4.15 Cube of solar matter

All energy on earth can ultimately be traced back to the sun, so we thought it would be an interesting metric to compare the energy used to the power produced by one cubic metre in the core of the sun. We found that the core of the sun has a wattage of 275 W, based on the information provided on the website of the Library of Congress [18].

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