Petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units.
Petawatts to Gigawatts Converter — PW to GW
Convert Petawatt (PW) to Gigawatt (GW) using the exact conversion factor (1 petawatt = 1,000,000 gigawatt). See the formula, worked examples, and conversion table.
Petawatts to Gigawatts 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.
Gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units.
Result = input x 1e+15 / 1e+9.
Electrical units in the same family convert directly.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Petawatts to Gigawatts
Petawatt and Gigawatt 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: Petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units, and gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units.
Formula
gigawatts = petawatts × 1000000
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 petawatt equals 1e+15 base units, and 1 gigawatt equals 1000000000 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct petawatt-to-gigawatt factor of 1000000.
Simple example
1 PW × 1000000 = 1,000,000 GW
1 petawatt = 1,000,000 gigawatts.
Real-world example
120 PW × 1000000 = 120,000,000 GW
120 petawatts = 120,000,000 gigawatts.
Conversion table
| Petawatt (PW) | Gigawatt (GW) |
|---|---|
| 1 PW | 1,000,000 GW |
| 5 PW | 5,000,000 GW |
| 12 PW | 12,000,000 GW |
| 24 PW | 24,000,000 GW |
| 120 PW | 120,000,000 GW |
| 240 PW | 240,000,000 GW |
Reverse conversion: Gigawatt to Petawatt
1 GW × 0.000001 = 0.000001 PW
1 gigawatt = 0.000001 petawatts.
petawatts = gigawatts × 0.000001
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Gigawatt to Petawatt.
Understanding the Petawatt (PW)
Petawatt is 1000000000000000 watt units.
Understanding the Gigawatt (GW)
Gigawatt is 1000000000 watt units.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many gigawatts are in 1 petawatt?
1 petawatt equals 1,000,000 gigawatts, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert petawatt to gigawatt?
Multiply the petawatt value by 1000000. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert gigawatt back to petawatt?
Use the reverse factor: 1 gigawatt equals 0.000001 petawatts. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a petawatt?
Petawatt (PW) is a unit of electricity.
What is a gigawatt?
Gigawatt (GW) is a unit of electricity.
Is the petawatt to gigawatt conversion exact?
Yes. Both petawatt and gigawatt are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 1000000 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.