BTU to kWh Converter
Convert British thermal units to kilowatt-hours — 3,412 BTU to the kWh. Results update as you type; exact factors shown.
One British thermal unit is 0.0003 kilowatt-hours — see the exact factor, not a rounded rule of thumb.
How the btu to kwh converter works
Energy converts through the joule. A thermochemical calorie is exactly 4.184 J, so a food Calorie (kcal) is 4.184 kJ. A kilowatt-hour is exactly 3.6 MJ. A BTU is 1,055.056 J and a US therm is 100,000 BTU.
Australia is fully metric under the National Measurement Act 1960; imperial units appear only in trade with the US and in older documents.
Common energy conversions
| From | To | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 BTU | 0.2931 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 3,412 BTU | 1 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 5,000 BTU | 1.4654 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 9,000 BTU | 2.6376 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 12,000 BTU | 3.5169 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 18,000 BTU | 5.2753 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 24,000 BTU | 7.0337 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 36,000 BTU | 10.5506 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 48,000 BTU | 14.0674 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 60,000 BTU | 17.5843 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 100,000 BTU | 29.3071 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
| 1,000,000 BTU | 293.0711 kWh | British thermal units to kilowatt-hours |
Units in this converter and their exact factors
| Unit | Symbol | One unit in joules |
|---|---|---|
| joule | J | 1 joule |
| kilojoule | kJ | 1,000 joule |
| megajoule | MJ | 1,000,000 joule |
| calorie (thermochemical) | cal | 4.184 joule |
| kilocalorie (food Calorie) | kcal | 4,184 joule |
| watt-hour | Wh | 3,600 joule |
| kilowatt-hour | kWh | 3,600,000 joule |
| British thermal unit | BTU | 1,055.05585262 joule |
| therm (US) | thm | 105,505,585.262 joule |
| foot-pound | ft·lb | 1.3558179483 joule |
FAQFrequently asked questions about energy conversion
How many BTU in a kWh?
3,412.14.
What is 12,000 BTU in kWh?
3.52 kWh.
Why does my air conditioner say 12,000 BTU?
It is really 12,000 BTU per hour — a power rating of 3.52 kW, historically called one ton of refrigeration.
Is a BTU big?
No — about 1,055 joules, roughly the energy in a burning match.
Which unit do energy bills use?
kWh for electricity nearly everywhere; some US gas bills use therms, which are 100,000 BTU.
Where these figures come from
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure, 9th edition) — definitions of the base and derived units.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units — the exact conversion factors used here.
- National Measurement Institute (NMI) — Australia's national measurement authority.
Last checked: September 2026. Conversion factors are fixed by definition and do not change with tax years or regulations.