Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second Converter
Convert megawatts to ft⋅lb/s with our free online power converter.
Quick Answer
1 Megawatt = 737562.149277 ft⋅lb/s
Formula: Megawatt × conversion factor = Foot-pound per Second
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second Calculator
How to Use the Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Megawatt).
- The converted value in Foot-pound per Second will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Power category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
ft⋅lb/s = MW × 737562Example Calculation:
1 MW = 737562.149277 ft⋅lb/s
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
Need to convert to other power units?
View all Power conversions →What is a Megawatt and a Foot-pound per Second?
1 MW = 1,000,000 W = 1,000 kW = 1,341 hp = 3.412 million BTU/h = 0.001 GW
1 ft⋅lbf/s = 1.356 W = 0.001356 kW = 0.001818 hp = 4.627 BTU/h
Horsepower relationship: 550 ft⋅lbf/s = 1 hp (745.7 W) exactly
Note: The Megawatt is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Foot-pound per Second belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
Common Uses and Applications: megawatts vs ft⋅lb/s
Explore the typical applications for both Megawatt (imperial/US) and Foot-pound per Second (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for megawatts
Renewable Energy: Wind turbines (2-15 MW), solar farms (1-100 MW). Power Generation: Small power plants, gas turbines, diesel generators. Industrial: Large factories, manufacturing plants, mining operations. Data Centers: Hyperscale facilities (20-100 MW), server farms.
When to Use ft⋅lb/s
Physics Education: Teaching power concepts, mechanical work problems. Classical Mechanics: Textbook problems, engineering fundamentals. Historical: Steam engine era calculations (now use hp or kW). Rarely Practical: Most real applications use hp, kW, or watts.
Additional Unit Information
About Megawatt (MW)
How do I convert MW to kW or W?
Formula:
- kW = MW × 1,000
- W = MW × 1,000,000
Examples:
- 1 MW = 1,000 kW = 1,000,000 W
- 5 MW = 5,000 kW = 5,000,000 W
- 2.5 MW = 2,500 kW = 2,500,000 W
- 0.5 MW = 500 kW = 500,000 W
MW to kW converter → MW to Watts converter →
How many homes can 1 MW power?
Average US home: ~1.2 kW average (30 kWh/day ÷ 24 hrs)
1 MW = 1,000 kW
Calculation: 1,000 kW ÷ 1.2 kW/home ≈ 833 homes (average load)
Regional variations:
- High AC use (Arizona, Texas): ~600-700 homes
- Moderate climate: ~700-900 homes
- Mild climate: ~900-1,200 homes
Peak vs average:
- Average load: 1 MW = 800-900 homes
- Peak load (summer afternoon): 1 MW = 300-500 homes
Example: 5 MW wind turbine powers ~4,000 homes on average
What is the difference between MW and MWh?
MW (Megawatt) = Power (rate of energy use/generation right now) MWh (Megawatt-hour) = Energy (total amount over time)
Analogy:
- MW = speedometer (speed right now)
- MWh = odometer (total distance traveled)
Example:
- 5 MW solar farm × 6 hours = 30 MWh energy produced
- 10 MW data center × 24 hours = 240 MWh daily consumption
Power plant ratings: Always in MW (capacity) Energy production/consumption: Measured in MWh or GWh
How much does a 1 MW power plant produce per year?
Formula: Annual MWh = MW × hours/year × capacity factor
1 MW at 100% capacity: 8,760 MWh/year (365 days × 24 hours)
Realistic production (accounting for capacity factor):
Nuclear: 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 90% = 7,884 MWh/year Coal: 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 50% = 4,380 MWh/year Wind: 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 35% = 3,066 MWh/year Solar: 1 MW × 8,760 hrs × 25% = 2,190 MWh/year
Example: 5 MW wind turbine produces ~15,330 MWh/year (~1,700 homes)
How big is a 1 MW solar farm?
Solar panel efficiency: ~400W per panel (modern, 2024) Panels needed: 1,000,000 W ÷ 400 W = 2,500 panels
Land area:
- Fixed tilt: 4-5 acres per MW
- Single-axis tracking: 6-8 acres per MW
- Dual-axis tracking: 8-10 acres per MW
1 MW solar farm typical specs:
- Panels: 2,500-3,000 (400W each)
- Land: 5-7 acres
- Annual production: 1,500-2,500 MWh (depending on location)
- Homes powered: ~150-250 homes
Scaling: 100 MW solar farm = 500-700 acres (varies by location, technology)
About Foot-pound per Second (ft⋅lb/s)
How do I convert ft⋅lbf/s to horsepower?
Formula: hp = ft⋅lbf/s ÷ 550
Examples:
- 550 ft⋅lbf/s = 1 hp (exact definition)
- 1,100 ft⋅lbf/s = 2 hp
- 275 ft⋅lbf/s = 0.5 hp
- 5,500 ft⋅lbf/s = 10 hp
How do I convert ft⋅lbf/s to watts?
Formula: W = ft⋅lbf/s × 1.356
Examples:
- 100 ft⋅lbf/s = 135.6 W
- 550 ft⋅lbf/s = 746 W (1 hp)
- 1,000 ft⋅lbf/s = 1,356 W = 1.356 kW
Why is 1 hp = 550 ft⋅lbf/s?
Historical origin: James Watt (1780s) measured draft horses' work capacity
Experiment: Horse lifting coal from mine
- Typical horse: Lifted ~22,000 lb⋅ft per minute
- Watt's marketing: Rated engines at 33,000 lb⋅ft/min (50% safety margin)
- Conversion: 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min ÷ 60 = 550 ft⋅lbf/s = 1 hp
Modern equivalent: 1 hp = 745.7 W = 0.746 kW
Persists: Still used for engines despite metric system adoption.
How do I calculate power from force and velocity?
Formula: Power (ft⋅lbf/s) = Force (lbf) × Velocity (ft/s)
Examples:
- Towing 1,000 lb at 10 ft/s: 10,000 ft⋅lbf/s = 18.2 hp = 13.6 kW
- Lifting 500 lb at 2 ft/s: 1,000 ft⋅lbf/s = 1.82 hp = 1.36 kW
- Pushing 200 lb at 5 ft/s: 1,000 ft⋅lbf/s = 1.82 hp
SI equivalent: Power (W) = Force (N) × Velocity (m/s)
Conversion Table: Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second
| Megawatt (MW) | Foot-pound per Second (ft⋅lb/s) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 368,781.075 |
| 1 | 737,562.149 |
| 1.5 | 1,106,343.224 |
| 2 | 1,475,124.299 |
| 5 | 3,687,810.746 |
| 10 | 7,375,621.493 |
| 25 | 18,439,053.732 |
| 50 | 36,878,107.464 |
| 100 | 73,756,214.928 |
| 250 | 184,390,537.319 |
| 500 | 368,781,074.639 |
| 1,000 | 737,562,149.277 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second?
To convert Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second, enter the value in Megawatt in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our power converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Megawatt to Foot-pound per Second?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Megawatt and Foot-pound per Second. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Foot-pound per Second back to Megawatt?
Yes! You can easily convert Foot-pound per Second back to Megawatt by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Foot-pound per Second to Megawatt converter page. You can also explore other power conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Megawatt and Foot-pound per Second?
Megawatt and Foot-pound per Second are both standard units used in power measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our power converter for more conversion options.
For more power conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
Learn more about unit conversion with our comprehensive guides:
📚 How to Convert Units
Step-by-step guide to unit conversion with practical examples.
🔢 Conversion Formulas
Essential formulas for power and other conversions.
⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
Understand the differences between measurement systems.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Learn about frequent errors and how to avoid them.
All Power Conversions
Other Power Units and Conversions
Explore other power units and their conversion options:
- Watt (W) • Megawatt to Watt
- Milliwatt (mW) • Megawatt to Milliwatt
- Kilowatt (kW) • Megawatt to Kilowatt
- Gigawatt (GW) • Megawatt to Gigawatt
- Horsepower (hp) • Megawatt to Horsepower
- Metric Horsepower (PS) • Megawatt to Metric Horsepower
- Electric Horsepower (hp(E)) • Megawatt to Electric Horsepower
- BTU per Hour (BTU/h) • Megawatt to BTU per Hour
- BTU per Minute (BTU/min) • Megawatt to BTU per Minute
- BTU per Second (BTU/s) • Megawatt to BTU per Second
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
National Institute of Standards and Technology — Fundamental physical constants and unit conversions
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures — International System of Units (SI) definitions and standards
International Organization for Standardization — Quantities and units international standards series
Last verified: February 19, 2026