Gigajoule (GJ) - Unit Information & Conversion
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What is a Gigajoule?
Gigajoule (GJ) = 1 billion joules = 1,000 MJ. Used for natural gas billing, industrial energy, large systems. 1 GJ = 277.8 kWh = 948,000 BTU. Household monthly gas: ~10-20 GJ. Power plant hourly: ~1,000 GJ.
History of the Gigajoule
Standard energy unit used in science, engineering, and industry. Conversion: 1 GJ = 1,000,000,000 joules.
Quick Answer
What is Gigajoule? Gigajoule (GJ) = 1 billion joules = 1,000 MJ. Used for natural gas billing, industrial energy, large systems. 1 GJ = 277.8 kWh = 948,000 BTU. Household monthly gas: ~10-20 GJ. Power plant hourly: ~1,000 GJ. Use our energy converter for instant conversions.
Key Facts: Gigajoule
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | GJ |
| Quantity | Energy |
| System | Metric/SI Derived |
| Derived from | Joule |
| Category | Energy |
| Standard Body | NIST / ISO |
Definition
1 GJ = 1,000,000,000 joules (J)
Common Uses
Used in physics, engineering, energy systems, and scientific calculations where this energy scale is appropriate for the application.
Real-World Energy Examples
Industrial & Utility Scale
| Application | Energy (GJ) |
|---|---|
| Household natural gas (monthly) | 10-20 |
| Commercial building (annual) | 100-500 |
| Small manufacturing plant (daily) | 50-200 |
| Power plant (hourly) | 500-2,000 |
| City daily consumption | 10,000-50,000 |
Conversion Reference
| Energy Amount | Gigajoules |
|---|---|
| 1 ton TNT | ~4.184 |
| Barrel of oil equivalent | ~6.12 |
| Typical home annually | ~50-100 |
| Megawatt-hour | ~3.6 |
| kWh | ~0.0000036 |
Global Energy Context
National Energy Scales
| Context | Gigajoules/Year | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Household | 50-150 | Electricity + gas + heating |
| Small business | 500-2,000 | Office building |
| Manufacturing plant | 10,000-100,000 | Industrial production |
| Large city | 100,000,000+ | Metropolitan area |
| Small country | 1,000,000,000+ | Denmark, Luxembourg |
Energy Equivalents
- 1 GJ = ~278 kWh (electricity)
- 1 GJ = ~948,000 BTU (thermal)
- 1 GJ = ~0.163 barrels oil equivalent
- 1 GJ = ~239 kg TNT equivalent
International Standards
- EU energy reporting: Uses GJ for industrial data
- ISO 50001: Energy management standard references GJ
- IEA: International Energy Agency publishes all data in GJ
- Climate reporting: Corporate carbon footprint calculations use GJ conversion
Real-World Scale
The gigajoule sits at a natural pivot point in energy measurement—large enough for practical industrial discussion yet small enough for household and municipal scales, making it the preferred unit for energy policy, billing, and international reporting.
Gigajoule Conversion Formulas
To Joule:
To Kilojoule:
To Megajoule:
To Watt-hour:
To Kilowatt-hour:
To Megawatt-hour:
To Calorie:
To Kilocalorie:
To British Thermal Unit:
To Therm:
To Foot-pound:
To Electronvolt:
To Erg:
To Quad:
Frequently Asked Questions
Convert Gigajoule
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Gigajoule Quick Info
Related Energy Units
Popular Conversions
- Gigajoule to JouleConvert →1 GJ = 1000000000 J
- Gigajoule to KilojouleConvert →1 GJ = 1000000 kJ
- Gigajoule to MegajouleConvert →1 GJ = 1000 MJ
- Gigajoule to Watt-hourConvert →1 GJ = 277777.777778 Wh
- Gigajoule to Kilowatt-hourConvert →1 GJ = 277.777778 kWh
- Gigajoule to Megawatt-hourConvert →1 GJ = 0.277778 MWh