Convert Picowatts to Kilowatts
Convert Picowatts (pW) to Kilowatts (kW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
kW = pW × 1.000000000e-15
About Picowatts
A picowatt (pW) is 10⁻¹² W - the power scale of the most sensitive radio receivers. GPS satellites transmit 20-50 W; by the time that signal spans 20,000 km, the received power is ~0.1 pW (−130 dBm). Radio telescopes routinely detect cosmic signals in the picowatt range. Qubit control electronics in quantum computers must resolve energy differences at picowatt scales. Photodetectors in single-photon counting mode, hard drive head read-back signals at idle, and deep-shadow solar cells also operate at picowatt levels. 1 pW = 10⁻¹² W.
About Kilowatts
A kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 W - the everyday unit for home, vehicle, and industrial power. Average US home consumption is ~1.2 kW continuous (~10,500 kWh/year). EV motors range from 30 kW (city cars) to 600+ kW (performance models); a Tesla Model S Performance produces 560 kW (751 hp). Industrial gas turbines on commercial aircraft generate 20,000-100,000 kW. Solar installations are sized in kW-peak. Industrial electric motors span from fractional kW to thousands of kW. 1 kW = 1,000 W = 1.341 hp = 3,412.1 BTU/h.
Quick Reference Table
| Picowatts (pW) | Kilowatts (kW) |
|---|---|
| 1 pW | 1 × 10-15 kW |
| 2 pW | 2 × 10-15 kW |
| 5 pW | 5 × 10-15 kW |
| 10 pW | 1 × 10-14 kW |
| 25 pW | 2.5 × 10-14 kW |
| 50 pW | 5 × 10-14 kW |
| 100 pW | 1 × 10-13 kW |