ClimateJuly 4, 2026
terawatt
/ˈtɛrəwɒt/
Definition
A unit of power equal to one trillion watts, used here as a aggregate measure to quantify massive scales of electrical energy generation across the United States.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'teras' (meaning 'monster' or 'wonder') and the English 'watt', which is named after the Scottish inventor James Watt. It is a standard SI unit prefix indicating a factor of 10^12.
In the news
In this article, the term is used to describe the total amount of electricity generated by different fuel types, highlighting how the growth of wind and solar has offset the decline of coal.
Guest post: How US renewable-energy growth persists despite federal policy uncertainty
Read the full article ↗Carbon Brief