A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power equal to one billion watts. It is commonly used to measure the output of large power plants and the capacity of electrical grids. For context, a typical household uses about 1 kilowatt (kW) of power, so a gigawatt can supply electricity to approximately one million homes at once. In the context of renewable energy, solar and wind farms often aim to produce power in gigawatts to meet growing energy demands. For example, a large nuclear power plant may have a capacity of around 1 to 3 gigawatts, contributing significantly to the energy supply of a region.