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Survey of Energy Resources Interim Update 2009

Conversion Factors and Energy Equivalents

Basic Energy Units

1 joule (J) = 0.2388 cal

1 calorie (cal) = 4.1868 J

(1 British thermal unit [Btu] = 1.055 kJ = 0.252 kcal)

WEC Standard Energy Units

1 tonne of oil equivalent (toe) = 42 GJ (net calorific value) = 10 034 Mcal

1 tonne of coal equivalent (tce) = 29.3 GJ (net calorific value) = 7 000 Mcal

Note: the tonne of oil equivalent currently employed by the International Energy Agency and the United Nations Statistics Division is defined as 10⁷ kilocalories, net calorific value (equivalent to 41.868 GJ).

Volumetric Equivalents

1 barrel = 42

gallons = approx. 159 litres
1 cubic metre = 35.315 cubic feet = 6.2898 barrels

Electricity

1 kWh of electricity output = 3.6 MJ = approx. 860 kcal

Representative Average Conversion Factors

1 tonne of crude oil = approx. 7.3 barrels

1 tonne of natural gas liquids = 45 GJ (net calorific value)

1 000 standard cubic metres of natural gas = 36 GJ (net calorific value)

1 tonne of uranium (light-water reactors, open cycle) = 10 000–16 000 toe

1 tonne of peat = 0.2275 toe

1 tonne of fuel wood = 0.3215 toe

1 kWh (primary energy equivalent) = 9.36 MJ = approx. 2 236 Mcal

Note: actual values vary by country and over time.

Because of rounding, some totals may not agree exactly with the sum of their component parts.