What is a gigawatt (GW)?

A gigawatt is an SI unit of power equal to one billion watts, often used for expressing large-scale power generation like utility plants or grid capacity.

What does horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) measure?

Mechanical horsepower is an imperial power unit defined as 550 foot-pound-force per second and used mainly for rating engines and smaller machinery.

Can this tool convert metric horsepower?

No, this converter specifically uses the mechanical horsepower defined by 550 ft*lbf/s and does not account for metric horsepower variations.

How to Convert from Gigawatt [GW] to Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)?

Easily convert power values from gigawatts (GW) to mechanical horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) using this online unit converter. Understand large-scale energy outputs in familiar imperial units.

Gigawatt [GW]

Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)

Please check your input. It must be a valid numeric value.

Gigawatt [GW] to Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) Conversion Table

Gigawatt [GW]	Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Gigawatt [GW] to Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) Conversion Table
Gigawatt [GW]	Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)

Explore More Power Units Converter

What Is This Tool?

This converter allows users to transform power measurements from gigawatts, a large SI unit commonly used in energy production, into mechanical horsepower, an imperial unit preferred in engine ratings and smaller-scale equipment.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the power value in gigawatts (GW) you want to convert
Select the target unit as horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)
Click the convert button to see the equivalent horsepower value

Key Features

Supports conversion between gigawatt (GW) and horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)
Uses a precise conversion rate linking SI and imperial power units
Ideal for engineering, automotive, and energy industry applications
Browser-based and easy to use without additional software

Examples

2 GW equals 2,682,044.1792 horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)
0.5 GW equals 670,511.0448 horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)

Common Use Cases

Comparing large power plant outputs expressed in gigawatts to mechanical horsepower
Assessing engine power ratings of vehicles and machinery that use horsepower
Converting energy production values for regional or national grid assessments
Sizing pumps, compressors, and motors in imperial unit contexts

Tips & Best Practices

Always ensure the correct units are selected before converting
Understand that mechanical horsepower used here is defined by 550 ft*lbf/s, not metric horsepower
Use this tool for large scale power comparisons rather than everyday small engine ratings

Limitations

This conversion uses mechanical horsepower defined as exactly 550 ft*lbf/s and approximately 745.7 watts
Other horsepower definitions like metric horsepower are not included
Gigawatt-to-horsepower conversion often results in very large numerical values which may be impractical for small equipment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gigawatt (GW)?: A gigawatt is an SI unit of power equal to one billion watts, often used for expressing large-scale power generation like utility plants or grid capacity.
What does horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) measure?: Mechanical horsepower is an imperial power unit defined as 550 foot-pound-force per second and used mainly for rating engines and smaller machinery.
Can this tool convert metric horsepower?: No, this converter specifically uses the mechanical horsepower defined by 550 ft*lbf/s and does not account for metric horsepower variations.

Key Terminology

Gigawatt (GW): An SI unit of power equal to one billion watts, commonly used to express large-scale energy generation.
Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s): An imperial unit of power defined as 550 foot-pound-force per second, used for rating engine and mechanical power.

Quick Knowledge Check

What power unit does 1 gigawatt equal in this converter?

1,000,000 horsepower

1,341,022.0896 horsepower

745.7 horsepower

Which unit is defined as exactly 550 foot-pounds per second?

Gigawatt

Horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s)

Metric horsepower

This conversion tool is mainly used to compare power outputs in which fields?

Cooking and food industry

Energy industry and mechanical engineering

Textile manufacturing

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