Hectowatt to Gigawatt Converter

A hectowatt (hW) is a unit of power equal to one hundred watts (10² W). It represents moderate power levels found in small appliances, lighting systems, and medium-scale electrical equipment.

The hectowatt developed as part of the metric system's decimal structure, providing an intermediate unit between kilowatts and watts. It became useful for describing power consumption of small appliances and lighting systems where watts would be large numbers.

Hectowatts are used for small appliance ratings, lighting system specifications, and medium-scale electrical equipment. They're found in specifications for small motors, lighting installations, and electrical systems requiring moderate power levels.

A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power equal to one billion watts (10⁹ W). It represents extremely large amounts of power typically associated with major power plants, national electricity grids, and large-scale energy infrastructure.

The gigawatt became important with the development of large-scale power generation in the 20th century. It provided a convenient scale for describing the output of major power plants, particularly nuclear and large hydroelectric facilities, and became essential for energy policy and grid planning.

Gigawatts are used to measure the capacity of large power plants, national electricity consumption, renewable energy installations, and major industrial facilities. They're standard for describing nuclear plant output, large solar farms, and national energy statistics.