4/2/2020 How do I compare the cost of heating fuels? - FAQ - U.S.

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I compare the cost of heating fuels?
When choosing heating fuels or heating systems, consumers may want to compare the cost of different heating fuels or energy sources. Because heating fuels are measured and sold in different
units, such as gallons of oil and propane, cubic feet or therms of natural gas, and kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity, comparing the price of fuels in dissimilar units is not meaningful.

A more useful comparison is the price or cost of fuels based on the heat content of the fuels, such as dollars per million British thermal units (Btu) of heat content. The formula for this calculation
is:

[ (Fuel price per unit) divided by (fuel heat content per unit) ] multiplied by 1,000,000.

However, there are other factors and issues related to the selection of a heating fuel or heating system to consider:

Efficiency of the appliances that convert fuels and electricity to useful heat
Costs of heating system installation, operation, and maintenance
Availability of fuels, especially during the heating season
Environmental issues associated with the production, transportation, and consumption of fuels

The U.S. Department of Energy has educational information on heating systems for consumers.

Learn more:
Heat contents of various fuels and electricity
(Note: There are 42 U.S. gallons in a barrel of heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)/propane, and there are 100,000 Btu in a therm.)
What is the outlook for home heating fuel prices this winter?
What are the greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions factors for fuels and electricity?
Energy Units and Calculators
Energy Saver 101 Infographic: Home Heating

Last updated: October 22, 2019

Other FAQs about Conversion & Equivalents

How do I compare the cost of heating fuels?

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=987&t=7 1/2
4/2/2020 How do I compare the cost of heating fuels? - FAQ - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

How do I convert between short tons and metric tons?

How do I convert data in one unit of measure to a different unit of measure?
How many gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel are made from one barrel of oil?
What are Ccf, Mcf, Btu, and therms? How do I convert natural gas prices in dollars per Ccf or Mcf to dollars per Btu or therm?
What are the greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions factors for fuels and electricity?
What is the efficiency of different types of power plants?

On This Page:
Coal
Conversion & Equivalents
Diesel
Electricity
Environment
Gasoline
General Energy
Natural Gas
Nuclear
Oil/Petroleum
Prices
Renewables

Full list of upcoming reports

Sign up for email notifications
Get the What's New RSS feed

Didn't find the answer to your question?

Ask an energy expert

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=987&t=7 2/2