Terawatts (TW)
The terawatt describes global energy flows: humanity uses about 19 TW of primary power on average.
Convert terawatts to any power unit
1 terawatt = 1,000,000,000,000 watts
Quick facts
1 terawatt in other units
| Watts | 1,000,000,000,000 W |
| Kilowatts | 1,000,000,000 kW |
| Horsepower | 1,341,022,090 hp |
| BTUs per hour | 3,412,141,633,000 BTU/h |
| Megawatts | 1,000,000 MW |
| Metric horsepower | 1,359,621,617 PS |
| Tons of refrigeration | 284,345,136.1 TR |
| Gigawatts | 1,000 GW |
What is a terawatt?
The terawatt describes global energy flows: humanity uses about 19 TW of primary power on average.
Where the terawatt sits among power units
The terawatt is number 30 of 32 on our scale of power units, ordered from smallest to largest.
What terawatts are used for
- Global energy use and climate science.
- Peak laser power in research facilities.
Terawatts in real life
- Average world primary energy use: about 19–20 TW.
- Sunlight absorbed by the Earth: about 122,000 TW.
- The most powerful lasers reach petawatts for femtoseconds.
Top terawatt conversions
Common amounts of terawatts
Convert terawatts to all 31 other units
Metric (SI)
Horsepower
Heat & refrigeration
Mechanical & other
Convert to terawatts
Frequently asked questions
What is a terawatt?
The terawatt describes global energy flows: humanity uses about 19 TW of primary power on average.
How is the terawatt defined?
10¹² watts.
How many watts are in a terawatt?
One terawatt equals 1,000,000,000,000 watts.
How many kilowatts are in a terawatt?
One terawatt equals 1,000,000,000 kilowatts.
How many horsepower are in a terawatt?
One terawatt equals 1,341,022,090 horsepower.