British thermal units to kilowatt-hours
Multiply British thermal units by 0.000293071 to get kilowatt-hours.
12,000 BTU = 3.5169 kWh
How to convert British thermal units to kilowatt-hours
The kilowatt-hour is one kilowatt for one hour, exactly 3.6 megajoules — the electricity billing unit. The British thermal unit is the (IT) British thermal unit, about 1055.06 joules.
Worked example — 12,000 BTU: 12,000 × 0.000293071 = 3.5169 kWh.
British thermal units to kilowatt-hours table
| British thermal units | Kilowatt-hours |
|---|---|
| 1,000 BTU | 0.293071 kWh |
| 3,412 BTU | 0.999958 kWh |
| 5,000 BTU | 1.4654 kWh |
| 10,000 BTU | 2.9307 kWh |
| 12,000 BTU | 3.5169 kWh |
| 18,000 BTU | 5.2753 kWh |
| 24,000 BTU | 7.0337 kWh |
| 36,000 BTU | 10.5506 kWh |
| 60,000 BTU | 17.5843 kWh |
Reverse and related
About British thermal units and kilowatt-hours
British thermal unit (BTU)
1 BTU = 0.000293071 kWhDefinition. The (IT) British thermal unit, about 1055.06 joules
History and origin
The British thermal unit was defined as the heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, making it the imperial counterpart of the calorie. It is about 1055 joules.
Current use
BTUs rate heating, air-conditioning and appliance output, especially in the United States.
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B; ISO 80000-5 (energy)
Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
1 kWh = 3,412.1416 BTUDefinition. One kilowatt for one hour, exactly 3.6 megajoules — the electricity billing unit
History and origin
The kilowatt-hour is the energy of one kilowatt sustained for one hour, exactly 3.6 megajoules. It became the standard way to bill electricity as power grids spread.
Current use
Kilowatt-hours are the unit on electricity bills and describe the capacity of batteries, including electric-vehicle packs.
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B; ISO 80000-5 (energy)
Where people use this
British thermal units: heating and air conditioning, appliance ratings. Kilowatt-hours: electricity bills, EV batteries. 3412 BTU is about 1 kWh.
Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.
Both units are defined in NIST SP 811, Appendix B; ISO 80000-5 (energy).
Questions people ask
How many BTU in a kWh?
One kilowatt-hour is about 3412 BTU.
How many kWh is 12,000 BTU?
12,000 BTU (a common AC rating) is about 3.52 kWh.
How many kWh is 5000 BTU?
5000 BTU is about 1.47 kWh.