gigawatt

noun

giga·​watt ˈji-gə-ˌwät How to pronounce gigawatt (audio) ˈgi- How to pronounce gigawatt (audio)
: a unit of power equal to one billion watts

Examples of gigawatt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The companies intend to achieve a capacity of up to four gigawatts of power by the end of 2027 — enough to supply electricity to approximately 3.5 million U.S. homes. Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 28 Jan. 2025 Electricity demand for data centers alone will increase 10-20% per year through 2030, while manufacturing of batteries, solar cells and semiconductors will require additional gigawatts of new power over the next four years, predicted Chris Seiple with analyst firm Wood Mackenzie. Matthew Brown, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025 Research firm McKinsey & Company estimates that US data centers demanded about 25 gigawatts of power in 2023, but expected to increase to 80 gigawatts by 2030. Todd Gordon, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025 Energy storage also made a small dent in the 2024 peak load number, providing between 1-4 gigawatts. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for gigawatt 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gigawatt was circa 1962

Dictionary Entries Near gigawatt

Cite this Entry

“Gigawatt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gigawatt. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!