Convert energy units — joules, calories, kilowatt-hours, BTU, kilojoules.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| J | Joule | 3600000 |
| kJ | Kilojoule | 3600 |
| cal | Calorie | 860420.65 |
| kcal | Kilocalorie (Cal) | 860.42065 |
| BTU | BTU | 3412.1282 |
Formula: BTU = Kilowatt-Hour × 3412
Multiply any kilowatt-hour value by 3412 to get btu.
Reverse: Kilowatt-Hour = BTU × 0.0002931
Common kilowatt-hour values — factor: 1 kWh = 3412 BTU
| Kilowatt-Hour (kWh) | BTU (BTU) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 kWh | 3.412 BTU | 1 Wh |
| 0.01 kWh | 34.12 BTU | 10 Wh |
| 0.1 kWh | 341.2 BTU | Phone charge |
| 0.5 kWh | 1,706 BTU | Half kWh |
| 1 kWh | 3,412 BTU | 1 kWh |
| 5 kWh | 1.706e+04 BTU | 5 kWh |
| 10 kWh | 3.412e+04 BTU | Washing machine |
| 30 kWh | 1.024e+05 BTU | Daily home use |
| 100 kWh | 3.412e+05 BTU | Monthly fraction |
| 500 kWh | 1.706e+06 BTU | EV range |
| 1,000 kWh | 3.412e+06 BTU | Monthly home |
| 1e+04 kWh | 3.412e+07 BTU | Annual home |
| 1e+05 kWh | 3.412e+08 BTU | Large commercial |
| 1e+06 kWh | 3.412e+09 BTU | Small factory |
| 1.000e+09 kWh | 3.412e+12 BTU | Power plant day |
1 kWh = 3412 BTU. Memorize for instant estimates.
Use 3412 as a quick mental multiplier.
Multiply result by 0.0002931 to recover the original kWh value.
Reads monthly bills and compares appliance energy use in kWh.
Sizes solar systems based on kWh consumption and production estimates.
Tracks charging cost and range efficiency in kWh per 100 km.
Measures building energy consumption and identifies savings in kWh.
Plans grid capacity, demand response, and billing in kWh and MWh.
Monitors real-time appliance consumption in kWh via smart meters.
The kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the commercial unit of electrical energy, equal to the energy consumed by a 1,000-watt appliance in one hour (3,600,000 joules). It became standard with the growth of the electrical grid in the late 19th century.
Electricity bills worldwide are denominated in kWh. A typical household uses 300–1,000 kWh per month. An electric car uses about 15–25 kWh per 100 km. Solar panels generate 250–400 kWh per year per panel.
Interesting fact: The average price of electricity in the US is about $0.12 per kWh. One kWh can run a 100W light bulb for 10 hours, charge a smartphone about 100 times, or power a laptop for 2-3 days.
The British Thermal Unit (BTU) is the traditional Imperial energy unit, defined as the heat required to raise 1 pound of water by 1°F. It equals 1,055.06 joules and has been used since the 19th century in heating, air conditioning, and gas billing.
BTU remains dominant in US HVAC: air conditioners and heaters are rated in BTU/hour. Natural gas is priced in therms (100,000 BTU) in the US. Furnaces are rated in BTU/hour output.
Interesting fact: A typical US home furnace is rated at 80,000–120,000 BTU/hour. One BTU is roughly the energy released by burning one kitchen match. The US natural gas pipeline system delivers about 25 quadrillion BTU (quads) per year.
Converting kilowatt-hour to btu is common across energy, nutrition, engineering, and science. Different sectors use different energy units — joules in physics, kcal in nutrition, kWh in electricity, and BTU in HVAC — making accurate conversion essential for cross-disciplinary work and international comparisons.
Quick reference: 5 kWh = 17,060 BTU and 10 kWh = 34,120 BTU. Reverse: 1 BTU = 0.0002931 kWh. Exact factor: 1 kWh = 3412 BTU.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.