Energy Units and Coversion Factors
Metric prefixes
kilo |
(k) |
= |
103 |
mega |
(M) |
= |
106 |
giga |
(G) |
= |
109 |
tera |
(T) |
= |
1012 |
peta |
(P) |
= |
1015 |
exa |
(E) |
= |
1018 |
Volume
1 m3 |
= |
103 |
1 US gallon |
= |
106 |
1 Imperial gallon |
= |
109 |
Example:
1 TJ = 1,000 GJ = 1,000,000 MJ = 1,000,000,000 kJ = 1,000,000,000,000 J = 1012 J
1 J = 0.001 MJ = 0.000001 GJ = 0.000000001 TJ
Energy unit conversion
Multiply by: |
GJ |
Toe |
MBtu |
MWh |
GJ |
1 |
0.024 |
0.948 |
0.278 |
Toe |
41.868 |
1 |
39.683 |
11.630 |
MBtu |
1.055 |
0.025 |
1 |
0.293 |
MWh |
3.600 |
0.086 |
3.412 |
1 |
Toe = tonnes oil equivalent
1 Mtoe = 41.9 PJ
Example: 1 MWh x 3.600 = 3.6 GJ
Heat of combustion (high heat values)
1 l ethanol = 84,530 Btu / US gallon = 21.2 MJ / l |
1 l biodiesel = 127,960 Btu / US gallon = 32.1 MJ / l |
SOLAR THERMAL HEAT SYSTEMS
million m² = 0.7 GWth |
Used where solar thermal heat data have been converted from square metres (m²) into gigawatts thermal (GWth), by accepted convention.
Example:
1) These values can vary with fuel and temperature.2) Around 1.5 litres of ethanol is required to equate to 1 litre of gasoline.
3) Heat values from U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center.