Gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units.
Gigawatts to Petawatts Converter — GW to PW
Convert Gigawatt (GW) to Petawatt (PW) using the exact conversion factor (1 gigawatt = 0.000001 petawatt). See the formula, worked examples, and conversion table.
Gigawatts to Petawatts converter
Converter
Electricity Converter
Convert electrical units by family and calculate voltage, current, resistance, power, and energy with context values.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
Petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units.
Result = input x 1e+9 / 1e+15.
Electrical units in the same family convert directly.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Gigawatts to Petawatts
Gigawatt and Petawatt both belong to the electricity family — voltage, current, resistance, power, or energy — units that show up constantly when working across the different standards used by household wiring (120V/240V depending on region), automotive electrical systems (12V/24V), and electronics design. Specifically: Gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units, and petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units.
Formula
petawatts = gigawatts × 0.000001
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 gigawatt equals 1000000000 base units, and 1 petawatt equals 1e+15 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct gigawatt-to-petawatt factor of 0.000001.
Simple example
1 GW × 0.000001 = 0.000001 PW
1 gigawatt = 0.000001 petawatts.
Real-world example
120 GW × 0.000001 = 0.00012 PW
120 gigawatts = 0.00012 petawatts.
Conversion table
| Gigawatt (GW) | Petawatt (PW) |
|---|---|
| 1 GW | 0.000001 PW |
| 5 GW | 0.000005 PW |
| 12 GW | 0.000012 PW |
| 24 GW | 0.000024 PW |
| 120 GW | 0.00012 PW |
| 240 GW | 0.00024 PW |
Reverse conversion: Petawatt to Gigawatt
0.000001 PW × 1000000 = 1 GW
0.000001 petawatts = 1 gigawatt.
gigawatts = petawatts × 1000000
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Petawatt to Gigawatt.
Understanding the Gigawatt (GW)
Gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units.
Understanding the Petawatt (PW)
Petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many petawatts are in 1 gigawatt?
1 gigawatt equals 0.000001 petawatts, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert gigawatt to petawatt?
Multiply the gigawatt value by 0.000001. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert petawatt back to gigawatt?
Use the reverse factor: 1 petawatt equals 1,000,000 gigawatts. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a gigawatt?
Gigawatt (GW) is a unit of electricity.
What is a petawatt?
Petawatt (PW) is a unit of electricity.
Is the gigawatt to petawatt conversion exact?
Yes. Both gigawatt and petawatt are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 0.000001 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.
What's the difference between voltage, current, and resistance?
Voltage (volts) is the electrical potential difference driving current through a circuit. Current (amperes) is the rate of flow of electric charge. Resistance (ohms) is how much a component opposes that flow. They're related by Ohm's law (V = I × R), but they are distinct physical quantities, and this page converts between units of just one of them.