Megawatt [MW] to Gigawatt [GW] Converter
Quick Reference
1 Megawatt (MW) = 0.001 Gigawatt (GW)
1 Gigawatt (GW) = 1000 Megawatt (MW)
How to Convert Megawatt to Gigawatt
1 MW = 0.001 GW
1 GW = 1000 MW
To convert Megawatt to Gigawatt, divide the value by 1000 (equivalently, multiply by 0.001). To convert Gigawatt back to Megawatt, multiply by 1000.
Example: convert 10 MW to GW:
10 MW = 10 x 0.001 = 0.01 GW
Megawatt
Definition: A megawatt (MW) is a unit of power equal to one million (10⁶) watts. It is a multiple of the base unit, the watt, in the International System of Units (SI).
History/origin: The watt is named in honor of Scottish inventor James Watt. The megawatt, as a decimal multiple of the watt, was derived as a larger unit for measuring very large amounts of power.
Current use: Megawatts are used to measure the power output of power plants, large industrial facilities, and the power consumption of cities. It is a convenient unit for expressing the scale of power generation and consumption on a large scale.
Gigawatt
Definition: A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power equal to one billion (10⁹) watts. It is a multiple of the base unit, the watt, in the International System of Units (SI).
History/origin: The watt is named in honor of Scottish inventor James Watt. The gigawatt, as a decimal multiple of the watt, was derived as a very large unit for measuring the power output of massive systems.
Current use: Gigawatts are used to measure the total power generation capacity of countries, very large power plants (like nuclear or hydroelectric), and global energy consumption trends. It's used for expressing power on a very large, macroscopic scale.
Megawatt to Gigawatt Conversion Table
| Megawatt [MW] | Gigawatt [GW] |
|---|---|
| 1 MW | 0.001 GW |
| 2 MW | 0.002 GW |
| 5 MW | 0.005 GW |
| 10 MW | 0.01 GW |
| 20 MW | 0.02 GW |
| 50 MW | 0.05 GW |
| 100 MW | 0.1 GW |
| 200 MW | 0.2 GW |
| 500 MW | 0.5 GW |
| 1000 MW | 1 GW |