Equivalent Energy Costs
Type
of Energy
Heating Value
(Net or LHV)
Billing
Units
Billing Units
NO. 2 FUEL OIL Btu/gal 132,000 Per
Gallon
$0.80 $0.90 $1.00 $1.10 $1.20 $1.30 $1.40 $1.50 $1.60 $1.70 $1.80 $1.90 $2.00 $2.10 $2.20 $2.30 $2.40 $2.50
NO. 5 FUEL OIL Btu/gal 143,250 Per
Gallon
$0.87 $0.98 $1.09 $1.19 $1.30 $1.41 $1.52 $1.63 $1.74 $1.84 $1.95 $2.06 $2.17 $2.28 $2.39 $2.50 $2.60 $2.71
PROPANE
(LPG)
Btu/gal 84,345 Per
Gallon
$0.51 $0.58 $0.64 $0.70 $0.77 $0.83 $0.89 $0.96 $1.02 $1.09 $1.15 $1.21 $1.28 $1.34 $1.41 $1.47 $1.53 $1.60
NATURAL GAS Btu/CCF (see note*) 90,500 Per CCF $0.55 $0.62 $0.69 $0.75 $0.82 $0.89 $0.96 $1.03 $1.10 $1.17 $1.23 $1.30 $1.37 $1.44 $1.51 $1.58 $1.65 $1.71
Btu/Therm 100,000 Per Therm $0.61 $0.68 $0.76 $0.83 $0.91 $0.98 $1.06 $1.14 $1.21 $1.29 $1.36 $1.44 $1.52 $1.59 $1.67 $1.74 $1.82 $1.89
ELECTRICITY Btu/Kwh 3,413 Per Kwh $0.02 $0.02 $0.03 $0.03 $0.03 $0.03 $0.04 $0.04 $0.04 $0.04 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.06 $0.06 $0.06 $0.06
COAL Btu/pound 12,000 Per Ton $145 $164 $182 $200 $218 $236 $255 $273 $291 $309 $327 $345 $364 $382 $400 $418 $436 $455
Each column of cost comparisons relates the costs of various types of energy to each other based on heating values.

For example, the cost of No. 2 fuel oil at $1.00 per gallon is equivalent to a cost of $1.09 for No. 5 fuel oil for the same Btu. Thus, if No. 2 fuel oil is $1.00 per gallon it doesn't pay to choose No. 5 fuel oil unless it is less than $1.09.

Likewise, it wouldn't pay to use electricity unless it is less than $0.03 per Kwh when No. 2 fuel oil is $1.00 per gallon. The actual heating values of various fuels vary somewhat from one region to another. However, the values used here are for fuels commonly used in the U.S.

CCF stands for 100 cubic feet. The net heating value of one cubic foot of natural gas is 905 Btu. *However, natural gas is normally billed at its gross heating value, which is approximately 1,000 Btu per cubic foot.

Suppliers may show prices for natural gas as $ per MMBtu (dollars per million Btu). If so, divide the price by 10 to obtain the price Per Therm.