How much electricity does a ceiling fan use?

A typical ceiling fan uses 60 to 75 watts of energy per hour even when running on high. This makes ceiling fans a very efficient alternative to a typical central air conditioning unit, which uses 3,500 watts.

Ceiling fan energy usage ranges widely between brands and types. Some super efficient ceiling fans can run at 18 watts, while some powerful ceiling fans use around 120 watts. However, ceiling fans with lights can use a lot more electricity, depending on the wattage of the light. When calculating the energy use to operate the fan with the lights on, it's necessary to add the wattage of the lights to that of the fan itself.