Course: Energy Economics and Policy
Course instructor:
Shyamasree Dasgupta
Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi
Week 1: Energy as an Economic Resource
Lecture 3 (W1L3): Measurement of Energy
In this lecture, we will discuss the measurement and aggregation of different types
of energy resources.
1
Classification
1. Energy
as a
resource
Measurement
2. Energy 5. Special
Demand Topic
Basic concepts in
economics and
policy making
3. Energy 4. Energy
Supply Market
Accounting
2
Comparability is important
• What is the quantity of energy that you use during an usual day?
• X kWh of electricity
• Y litre of petrol
• Z kg of LPG
• Aggregate?
• An average American consumes 1 gallon of petrol for automobile
per day while an average Indian consumes 0.05 litre.
• Who consumes more and how much?
3
Difference in units of measurements
Not only different fuels have different units of measurement, the units vary across geographical
locations even for one particular fuel. To understand aggregate energy supply and demand, a
common unit is needed.
Tonnes of coal Barrel/litre of oil Cubic kWh of
meter/kg of electricity
natural gas
4
Scientific units and commercial units
• Scientific units: These units
have specific scientific
1 calorie (thermochemical) = 4.184 J
definitions.
1 calorie (15°C) = 4.1858 J
• Calorie: Amount of heat 1 calorie (IT) = 4.1868 J
required to raise the temperature 1 calorie (mean) = 4.1900 J
of 1 gram of water by 1°C. 1 Btu = 251.9958 calories
• Btu: British system analog of 1 Btu (thermochemical) = 1054.35 J
calorie: Btu/lb-°F. 1 Btu (59 °F) = 1054.80 J
1 Btu (IT) = 1055.06 J
• Joule: Basic energy unit of the 1 Btu (mean) = 1055.87 J
metric system. 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3.6 x 106 J
• kWh: The kilowatt-hour is a 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3412 Btu (IT)
standard unit of electricity 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 860 kcal
production and consumption.
Visit https://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm
5
Scientific units and commercial units
• Commercial units: These units
provide a sense of physical quantities
of the fuel.
• Eg. 1 barrel of oil, 1 tonne of coal.
1 short ton (ton) = 2000 lb
1 metric ton (tonne) = 1000 kg
1 ton = 0.907185 tonne
1 barrel = 42 U.S. gallons = 159.0 liters
1 barrel of crude oil ~ 0.136 tonne
1 square mile = 640 acres = 2.590 km2
1 hectare = 10-2 km2 = 2.471 acres
Visit https://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm
6
Conversion factors for oil Conversion factors for natural gas
Initial unit Converted unit Initial unit Converted unit
1 US gallon 3.785 litre 1 cubic metre 35.3 cubic feet
1 UK gallon 4.546 litre 1 billion cubic 0.9 Mtoe
metre
1 Barrel 158.9 litre
1 billion cubic feet 0.025 Mtoe
1 cubic foot 0.0283 cubic metres
1 million tonne 1.36 billion cubic metres,
1 Cubic metre 1000 litre 1.22 Mtoe
1 kilogram (kg) 2.2036 lb *Note: 1 lit =1 kg (simplistic assumption)
1 tonne 7.33 barrels
7
Scientific units and commercial units
• Commercial units: These units Fuel Heat content
provide a sense of physical quantities (approximated single value)
of the fuel. Semi anthracite coal 7000 kcal/kg
• Eg. 1 barrel of oil, 1 tonne of coal. Coking coals 6000 kcal/kg
Sub-bituminous 5800 kcal/kg
coals
1 short ton (ton) = 2000 lb Crude oil 1.x 10^7 kcal/t
1 metric ton (tonne) = 1000 kg
1 ton = 0.907185 tonne Petrol* 1.1 x 10^7 kcal/t
1 barrel = 42 U.S. gallons = 159.0 liters LPG* 1.2 x 10^7 kcal/t
1 barrel of crude oil ~ 0.136 tonne
1 square mile = 640 acres = 2.590 km2 Electricity 860 kcal/kWh
1 hectare = 10-2 km2 = 2.471 acres Natural gas 39 MJ/m^3
Visit https://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm
*Fuels which consist of a mixture of several different compounds may vary in quality.
8
Conversion to tonnes of oil equivalent (toe)
• The objective is to convert all fuel in the same commercial unit
• Suppose, X tonne of coal releases energy equivalent to energy released by 1 tonne of oil.
Then that X tonne of coal will be treated as 1 tonne of oil equivalent.
• OECD/IEA: 1 toe = 1.00 x 1010 cal (IT) = 41.868 GJ = 39.68 MBtu (IT)
• In other cases: 1 toe = 1.07 x 1010 cal (thermochemical) = 44.769 GJ = 42.46 MBtu
(thermochemical).
Visit https://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm
9
Pounds of CO2 emitted per million Btu of energy
for various fuels
Fuel Emission The amount of CO2 produced when a
fuel is burned is a function of the
Coal (anthracite) 228.6
carbon content of the fuel.
Coal (bituminous) 205.7
Coal (lignite) 215.4
Coal (subbituminous) 214.3
Diesel fuel and heating oil 161.3
Gasoline (without ethanol) 157.2
Propane 139.0 For more information, visit:
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.ph
Natural Gas 117.0 p?id=73&t=11
10
End of Week 1_Lecture 3.
11
