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 or the energy consumption of large cities. For context, a typical household uses about 1 kilowatt (kW) of power, which is one-thousandth of a gigawatt. In terms of electricity generation, a gigawatt can power approximately 300,000 homes. The term is often associated with renewable energy sources like solar power and wind energy, as well as traditional sources such as coal and nuclear power. Understanding gigawatts helps in discussing energy production and consumption on a large scale.