kWh to Joules Converter

Convert kilowatt-hours to joules and back — the bill unit against the SI unit of energy.

Convert kWh ⇄ joules

3600000 J
1 kWh = 3600000 J

Formula: 1 kWh (kWh × 3,600,000) = 3600000 J

How the kwh to joules conversion works

The conversion is exact: joules = kilowatt-hours × 3,600,000. One watt is one joule per second, so one kilowatt-hour — 1,000 watts for 3,600 seconds — is 1,000 × 3,600 = 3,600,000 joules, or 3.6 megajoules. Going the other way, kWh = joules ÷ 3,600,000.

Why the huge number: the joule is a small unit — lifting an apple one metre takes about one joule — while a kilowatt-hour is a household-scale amount of energy. That is why physics uses joules and electricity bills use kWh, and why converting between them always produces millions. For the BTU side of the same idea, see BTU to kWh.

Worked example: 1 kWh is 3,600,000 J (3.6 MJ). A home using 10 kWh in a day has used 36,000,000 J, and 7,200,000 J is 7,200,000 ÷ 3,600,000 = 2 kWh.

Handy benchmarks: 0.5 kWh = 1,800,000 J, 1 kWh = 3,600,000 J (3.6 MJ), 10 kWh = 36,000,000 J (36 MJ) and 100 kWh = 360,000,000 J (360 MJ).

kwh to joules converter questions

How many joules are in 1 kWh?
Exactly 3,600,000 joules (3.6 MJ). One kilowatt for one hour is 1,000 watts × 3,600 seconds.
How do I convert kWh to joules?
Multiply by 3,600,000: J = kWh × 3,600,000. So 10 kWh is 36,000,000 J.
What is 1 kWh in megajoules?
3.6 MJ. Divide joules by 1,000,000 to get megajoules, so 3,600,000 J = 3.6 MJ.
Why is the joule number so big?
Because a joule is tiny — about the energy of lifting an apple one metre — while a kilowatt-hour is a household-scale amount. The factor of 3.6 million is exact, not an approximation.
How do I convert joules back to kWh?
Divide by 3,600,000: kWh = J ÷ 3,600,000. Switch the direction above to do it.

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Sources & official guidance

Exact conversion — 1 kWh = 3.6 MJ = 3,600,000 J. See our disclaimer.