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Horsepower (metric) (PS) to Gigawatts (GW) conversion

Horsepower (metric) to Gigawatts conversion table

Horsepower (metric) (PS)Gigawatts (GW)
00
17.3549875e-7
20.0000014709975
30.00000220649625
40.000002941995
50.00000367749375
60.0000044129925
70.00000514849125
80.00000588399
90.00000661948875
100.0000073549875
200.000014709975
300.0000220649625
400.00002941995
500.0000367749375
600.000044129925
700.0000514849125
800.0000588399
900.0000661948875
1000.000073549875
10000.00073549875

How to convert horsepower (metric) to gigawatts?

Converting between horsepower (metric) and gigawatts involves understanding the relationship between these two units of power. Here's how to approach this conversion.

Understanding Power Conversion

Power, in physics, is the rate at which energy is transferred or converted. Both horsepower (metric) and gigawatts are units used to measure this rate. Converting between them requires knowing the precise conversion factor. Note that the base (10 or 2) does not affect this conversion because both units are defined in the metric system, which is base 10.

Conversion Factor

The key to converting between horsepower (metric) and gigawatts is the conversion factor:

  • 1 horsepower (metric) ≈ 735.499 watts (W)
  • 1 gigawatt (GW) = 10910^9 watts (W)

Converting Horsepower (metric) to Gigawatts

To convert 1 horsepower (metric) to gigawatts, use the following steps:

  1. Convert horsepower to watts:

    • 1 hp (metric)×735.499Whp (metric)=735.499 W1 \text{ hp (metric)} \times 735.499 \frac{\text{W}}{\text{hp (metric)}} = 735.499 \text{ W}

  2. Convert watts to gigawatts:

    • 735.499 W×1 GW109 W=7.35499×10−7 GW735.499 \text{ W} \times \frac{1 \text{ GW}}{10^9 \text{ W}} = 7.35499 \times 10^{-7} \text{ GW}

Therefore, 1 horsepower (metric) is approximately 7.35499×10−77.35499 \times 10^{-7} GW.

Converting Gigawatts to Horsepower (metric)

To convert 1 gigawatt to horsepower (metric), perform the reverse calculation:

  1. Convert gigawatts to watts:

    • 1 GW×109WGW=109 W1 \text{ GW} \times 10^9 \frac{\text{W}}{\text{GW}} = 10^9 \text{ W}

  2. Convert watts to horsepower:

    • 109 W×1 hp (metric)735.499 W≈1,359,621.617 hp (metric)10^9 \text{ W} \times \frac{1 \text{ hp (metric)}}{735.499 \text{ W}} \approx 1,359,621.617 \text{ hp (metric)}

Therefore, 1 gigawatt is approximately 1,359,621.617 horsepower (metric).

Real-World Examples

Here are some real-world examples to illustrate the conversion:

  1. Electric Motors: A large industrial motor might be rated at 1000 horsepower (metric). Converting this to gigawatts:

    • 1000 hp (metric)×7.35499×10−7GWhp (metric)=7.35499×10−4 GW=0.000735499 GW1000 \text{ hp (metric)} \times 7.35499 \times 10^{-7} \frac{\text{GW}}{\text{hp (metric)}} = 7.35499 \times 10^{-4} \text{ GW} = 0.000735499 \text{ GW}

  2. Power Plants: A small power plant might generate 500 MW (0.5 GW). Converting this to horsepower (metric):

    • 0.5 GW×1,359,621.617hp (metric)GW=679,810.8085 hp (metric)0.5 \text{ GW} \times 1,359,621.617 \frac{\text{hp (metric)}}{\text{GW}} = 679,810.8085 \text{ hp (metric)}

  3. Car Engines: Car power used to be popularly measured in HP. Imagine that the car has 200 Horsepower (metric)

    • 200 hp (metric)×7.35499×10−7GWhp (metric)=1.470998×10−4 GW=0.0001470998 GW200 \text{ hp (metric)} \times 7.35499 \times 10^{-7} \frac{\text{GW}}{\text{hp (metric)}} = 1.470998 \times 10^{-4} \text{ GW} = 0.0001470998 \text{ GW}

Historical Context and Notable Figures

While there isn't a specific law or figure directly associated with metric horsepower, the concept of horsepower was popularized by James Watt, a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer, to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses. Watt's work laid the foundation for understanding and measuring power, which eventually led to the development of the metric horsepower and other units like the watt and gigawatt. The metric horsepower (PS, from German "Pferdestärke") is slightly different from the imperial horsepower (approximately 745.7 watts).

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the Gigawatts to other unit conversions.

What is Horsepower (metric)?

This section will provide a comprehensive overview of metric horsepower, including its definition, origins, calculation, and real-world applications.

Definition and Origin

Metric horsepower (PS, PferdeStärke in German, or cheval-vapeur in French) is a unit of power defined as the power required to raise a mass of 75 kilograms against Earth's gravitational force over a distance of one meter in one second. It is slightly less than the imperial horsepower.

Calculation

The value of one metric horsepower is:

1 PS=75 kg⋅9.80665 m/s2⋅1 m1 s≈735.499 watts1 \text{ PS} = \frac{75 \text{ kg} \cdot 9.80665 \text{ m/s}^2 \cdot 1 \text{ m}}{1 \text{ s}} \approx 735.499 \text{ watts}

Therefore, approximately:

1 PS≈0.98632 hp1 \text{ PS} \approx 0.98632 \text{ hp} (Imperial Horsepower)

1 hp≈1.01387 PS1 \text{ hp} \approx 1.01387 \text{ PS}

Historical Context

The term "horsepower" was originally coined by James Watt to compare the output of steam engines to the power of draft horses. While Watt's original definition is related to the imperial horsepower, the metric horsepower evolved separately on the European continent, primarily for similar comparisons involving machinery and animal power.

Real-World Examples

  • Automobiles: Engine power is commonly specified in metric horsepower in many parts of the world. For example, a typical family car might have an engine rated at 150 PS.
  • Motorcycles: Motorcycle engine power is also frequently stated in metric horsepower.
  • Agricultural Machinery: Tractors and other farming equipment often have their power output measured in PS.
  • Industrial Pumps and Motors: The power of pumps, fans, and electric motors used in industrial applications can be rated in metric horsepower. For example a pump may be rated at 5 PS.

Fun fact

While not commonly named after any specific person or law, it's interesting to know how metric horsepower is used across Europe. It gives the user a good understanding of the "power" of a machine.

What is Gigawatts?

A gigawatt is a unit of power equal to one billion watts. Power, in physics, represents the rate at which energy is transferred or converted. In simpler terms, it's how quickly work is done. The standard unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) is the watt (W), named after the Scottish inventor James Watt.

  • 1 Gigawatt (GW) = 10910^9 watts (W)
  • 1 Gigawatt (GW) = 1,000 Megawatts (MW)
  • 1 Gigawatt (GW) = 1,000,000 Kilowatts (kW)

How is Gigawatt formed?

The prefix "giga-" comes from the Greek word "gigas," meaning giant. In the metric system, "giga-" denotes a factor of 10910^9. Therefore, a gigawatt is simply 10910^9 watts. This prefix is used across various units of measurement (e.g., gigabyte, gigahertz) to represent large quantities.

Interesting Facts

  • Hoover Dam: The Hoover Dam has a generating capacity of just over 2 GW. This impressive structure shows how much power can be generated using hydroelectric energy.
  • Global Power Consumption: As of 2021, the world's total installed electricity generation capacity was roughly 7,900 GW.
  • The First Nuclear Power Plant: The world's first nuclear power plant, APS-1 Obninsk, had a electric power of only 0.000005 GW.

Real-World Examples

  • Power Plants: A large coal-fired power plant typically has a capacity of around 1 GW. Nuclear power plants often generate between 1 and 2 GW.
  • Renewable Energy: A large-scale solar farm might produce several hundred megawatts, while a large wind farm can also approach the gigawatt range.
  • Cities: A large city like New York City might have a peak power demand of around 6-7 GW during the summer months.
  • Lightning: Peak power of a lightning is around 1 to 10 GW.

Laws and People Associated

While there isn't a specific law directly named after "Gigawatts," the understanding and application of power units are rooted in the principles of physics developed by scientists like:

  • James Watt: As mentioned earlier, the unit of power is named after him due to his significant contributions to the development of the steam engine.
  • André-Marie Ampère: His work on electromagnetism laid the groundwork for understanding electrical power.
  • Michael Faraday: Known for his discoveries regarding electromagnetic induction, which is crucial for generating electrical power.

These scientists helped establish the foundations for understanding and harnessing power, leading to the modern use of units like the gigawatt.

Complete Horsepower (metric) conversion table

Enter # of Horsepower (metric)
Convert 1 PS to other unitsResult
Horsepower (metric) to Watts (PS to W)735.49875
Horsepower (metric) to Milliwatts (PS to mW)735498.75
Horsepower (metric) to Kilowatts (PS to kW)0.73549875
Horsepower (metric) to Megawatts (PS to MW)0.00073549875
Horsepower (metric) to Gigawatts (PS to GW)7.3549875e-7
Horsepower (metric) to British thermal units per second (PS to Btu/s)0.6971182104441
Horsepower (metric) to Foot-pounds per second (PS to ft-lb/s)542.47603863681
Horsepower (metric) to Horsepower (British) (PS to hp)0.9863200702488

Power conversions