The kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a unit of energy that represents the amount of energy consumed or produced. Although commonly associated with electric bills, it has fascinating real-world applications. For example, one kWh can power a 100-watt incandescent light bulb for 10 hours or a modern energy-efficient LED bulb for around 50 hours. Interestingly, the kWh is not just for electricity—it’s also used in renewable energy systems to measure solar and wind power production efficiencies.
Beyond its practical uses, kilowatt-hours reveal intriguing insights into our energy consumption patterns. For instance, the average U.S. home consumes about 877 kWh per month, providing a benchmark for households exploring energy-saving measures. The kWh also serves as a universal language in global energy markets, standardizing costs and outputs across international borders.
The gigajoule (GJ) is a unit of energy equivalent to one billion joules. It offers a convenient metric for measuring substantial energy quantities and is frequently used in contexts like natural gas and electrical energy. For instance, one gigajoule can power an average household’s energy needs for about three days, depending on energy consumption habits. Interestingly, it’s also roughly equivalent to the energy contained in 26.8 gallons of gasoline, highlighting its significance in both domestic and industrial contexts.
Beyond its everyday applications, the gigajoule also plays a critical role in scientific fields. In the realm of seismology, for example, a moderate earthquake releases energy comparable to a few gigajoules, illustrating the vast power of natural phenomena. This demonstrates how understanding gigajoules can offer insights into both human technology and the forces of nature.
| Kilowatt-hours | Gigajoules |
|---|---|
0
kWh
|
0
GJ
|
1
kWh
|
0.0036
GJ
|
2
kWh
|
0.0072
GJ
|
3
kWh
|
0.0108
GJ
|
4
kWh
|
0.0144
GJ
|
5
kWh
|
0.018
GJ
|
6
kWh
|
0.0216
GJ
|
7
kWh
|
0.0252
GJ
|
8
kWh
|
0.0288
GJ
|
9
kWh
|
0.0324
GJ
|
10
kWh
|
0.036
GJ
|
11
kWh
|
0.0396
GJ
|
12
kWh
|
0.0432
GJ
|
13
kWh
|
0.0468
GJ
|
14
kWh
|
0.0504
GJ
|
15
kWh
|
0.054
GJ
|
16
kWh
|
0.0576
GJ
|
17
kWh
|
0.0612
GJ
|
18
kWh
|
0.0648
GJ
|
19
kWh
|
0.0684
GJ
|
20
kWh
|
0.072
GJ
|
21
kWh
|
0.0756
GJ
|
22
kWh
|
0.0792
GJ
|
23
kWh
|
0.0828
GJ
|
24
kWh
|
0.0864
GJ
|
25
kWh
|
0.09
GJ
|
26
kWh
|
0.0936
GJ
|
27
kWh
|
0.0972
GJ
|
28
kWh
|
0.1008
GJ
|
29
kWh
|
0.1044
GJ
|
30
kWh
|
0.108
GJ
|
31
kWh
|
0.1116
GJ
|
32
kWh
|
0.1152
GJ
|
33
kWh
|
0.1188
GJ
|
34
kWh
|
0.1224
GJ
|
35
kWh
|
0.126
GJ
|
36
kWh
|
0.1296
GJ
|
37
kWh
|
0.1332
GJ
|
38
kWh
|
0.1368
GJ
|
39
kWh
|
0.1404
GJ
|
40
kWh
|
0.144
GJ
|
41
kWh
|
0.1476
GJ
|
42
kWh
|
0.1512
GJ
|
43
kWh
|
0.1548
GJ
|
44
kWh
|
0.1584
GJ
|
45
kWh
|
0.162
GJ
|
46
kWh
|
0.1656
GJ
|
47
kWh
|
0.1692
GJ
|
48
kWh
|
0.1728
GJ
|
49
kWh
|
0.1764
GJ
|
50
kWh
|
0.18
GJ
|
51
kWh
|
0.1836
GJ
|
52
kWh
|
0.1872
GJ
|
53
kWh
|
0.1908
GJ
|
54
kWh
|
0.1944
GJ
|
55
kWh
|
0.198
GJ
|
56
kWh
|
0.2016
GJ
|
57
kWh
|
0.2052
GJ
|
58
kWh
|
0.2088
GJ
|
59
kWh
|
0.2124
GJ
|
60
kWh
|
0.216
GJ
|
61
kWh
|
0.2196
GJ
|
62
kWh
|
0.2232
GJ
|
63
kWh
|
0.2268
GJ
|
64
kWh
|
0.2304
GJ
|
65
kWh
|
0.234
GJ
|
66
kWh
|
0.2376
GJ
|
67
kWh
|
0.2412
GJ
|
68
kWh
|
0.2448
GJ
|
69
kWh
|
0.2484
GJ
|
70
kWh
|
0.252
GJ
|
71
kWh
|
0.2556
GJ
|
72
kWh
|
0.2592
GJ
|
73
kWh
|
0.2628
GJ
|
74
kWh
|
0.2664
GJ
|
75
kWh
|
0.27
GJ
|
76
kWh
|
0.2736
GJ
|
77
kWh
|
0.2772
GJ
|
78
kWh
|
0.2808
GJ
|
79
kWh
|
0.2844
GJ
|
80
kWh
|
0.288
GJ
|
81
kWh
|
0.2916
GJ
|
82
kWh
|
0.2952
GJ
|
83
kWh
|
0.2988
GJ
|
84
kWh
|
0.3024
GJ
|
85
kWh
|
0.306
GJ
|
86
kWh
|
0.3096
GJ
|
87
kWh
|
0.3132
GJ
|
88
kWh
|
0.3168
GJ
|
89
kWh
|
0.3204
GJ
|
90
kWh
|
0.324
GJ
|
91
kWh
|
0.3276
GJ
|
92
kWh
|
0.3312
GJ
|
93
kWh
|
0.3348
GJ
|
94
kWh
|
0.3384
GJ
|
95
kWh
|
0.342
GJ
|
96
kWh
|
0.3456
GJ
|
97
kWh
|
0.3492
GJ
|
98
kWh
|
0.3528
GJ
|
99
kWh
|
0.3564
GJ
|
100
kWh
|
0.36
GJ
|
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