What uses 5000 watts of energy?

Question

I am trying to give an example of how the 5,000 watts of energy used by a clothes dryer each year could be used in a positive way. It is for a recycling article. i.e. The 5,000 watts of energy used each year to fuel an electric clothes dryer is the same amount of energy needed to send a NASA space shuttle to the moon six times. I need an example that would make a person think.

Answer 1

No one has ever sent the space shuttle to the moon. Not NASA, or any other country on earth.

Answer 2

I think you have done some massive miscalculation.  Many street light use 1000 watt High pressure sodium bulbs.   Many sport areas use even higher bulbs to light up football fields, running tracks, tennis courts etc.  By your numbers  5 of the lights use more power than 6 shuttle launches?  that cant be right.  BTW, do you not think that clean clothes are a positive thing?

Answer 3

"The 5,000 watts of energy used each year to fuel an electric clothes dryer is the same amount of energy needed to send a NASA space shuttle to the moon six times."

That does not sound right - but 5,000 watts is power, not energy. Does the drier use 5,000 kWh in a year ? If so that is more than the electricity usage of an average UK house

Answer 4

Although a clothes dryer typically averages 5000 watts when in use, it isn't used year round -- in an average household, perhaps 100 hours a year.  This would be 500 kWh of energy, worth about $60 at today's prices.  What is it worth to not have to hang laundry out of doors to dry when the weather is nasty?

Answer 5

a 5000 watt light bulb. Available at Lowe's through their special order catalog. Lights up those cornfields nicely for night-time harvest of your shirts.