Fuel Comparison Tables
Whether you're a contractor looking to best serve our shared customers or a customer yourself, it's important to take a look at how electricity compares to fossil fuels. As part of that process we encourage you to:
- Learn about rebates and programs that offer energy- and money-saving opportunities.
- Calculate savings based on various rate options to help find the right fit.
Now, let's see how electricity compares to fossil fuels.
Btu content
| Amount | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000,000 | Btu / MCF | Natural gas |
| 91,800 | Btu / gallon | Propane |
| 140,000 | Btu / gallon | Heating oil |
| 3,413 | Btu / kWh | Electricity |
Breakeven points and kilowatt-hour equivalents
Check out this summary of controlled-service rates and associated riders and adjustments to get a more accurate price for your comparison.
To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with natural gas, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.
| Electricity | Price per MCF of Natural gas | |
|---|---|---|
| Price/kWh | Efficiency | |
| Base | 70% | 90% |
| 3.00¢ | $6.15 | $7.91 |
| 3.25¢ | $6.67 | $8.57 |
| 3.50¢ | $7.18 | $9.23 |
| 3.75¢ | $7.69 | $9.89 |
| 4.00¢ | $8.20 | $10.55 |
| 4.25¢ | $8.72 | $11.21 |
| 4.50¢ | $9.23 | $11.87 |
| 4.75¢ | $9.74 | $12.53 |
| 5.00¢ | $10.25 | $13.18 |
| 5.25¢ | $10.77 | $13.84 |
| 5.50¢ | $11.28 | $14.50 |
| 5.75¢ | $11.79 | $15.16 |
| 6.00¢ | $12.31 | $15.82 |
| 6.25¢ | $12.82 | $16.48 |
| 6.50¢ | $13.33 | $17.14 |
| 6.75¢ | $13.84 | $17.80 |
| 7.00¢ | $14.36 | $18.46 |
| 7.25¢ | $14.87 | $19.12 |
| 7.50¢ | $15.38 | $19.78 |
| 7.75¢ | $15.90 | $20.44 |
| 8.00¢ | $16.41 | $21.10 |
| 8.25¢ | $16.92 | $21.76 |
| 8.50¢ | $17.43 | $22.41 |
| 8.75¢ | $17.95 | $23.07 |
| 9.00¢ | $18.46 | $23.73 |
| 9.50¢ | $19.48 | $25.05 |
| 10.00¢ | $20.51 | $26.37 |
| 10.50¢ | $21.54 | $27.69 |
| 11.00¢ | $22.56 | $29.01 |
| 11.50¢ | $23.59 | $30.33 |
| 12.00¢ | $24.61 | $31.64 |
| 13.00¢ | $26.66 | $34.28 |
| 14.00¢ | $28.71 | $36.92 |
To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with propane, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.
| Electricity | Price per gallon of Propane | |
|---|---|---|
| Price/kWh | Efficiency | |
| Base | 70% | 90% |
| 3.00¢ | $0.56 | $0.73 |
| 3.25¢ | $0.61 | $0.79 |
| 3.50¢ | $0.66 | $0.85 |
| 3.75¢ | $0.71 | $0.91 |
| 4.00¢ | $0.75 | $0.97 |
| 4.25¢ | $0.80 | $1.03 |
| 4.50¢ | $0.85 | $1.09 |
| 4.75¢ | $0.89 | $1.15 |
| 5.00¢ | $0.94 | $1.21 |
| 5.25¢ | $0.99 | $1.27 |
| 5.50¢ | $1.04 | $1.33 |
| 5.75¢ | $1.08 | $1.39 |
| 6.00¢ | $1.13 | $1.45 |
| 6.25¢ | $1.18 | $1.51 |
| 6.50¢ | $1.22 | $1.57 |
| 6.75¢ | $1.27 | $1.63 |
| 7.00¢ | $1.32 | $1.69 |
| 7.25¢ | $1.37 | $1.76 |
| 7.50¢ | $1.41 | $1.82 |
| 7.75¢ | $1.46 | $1.88 |
| 8.00¢ | $1.51 | $1.94 |
| 8.25¢ | $1.55 | $2.00 |
| 8.50¢ | $1.60 | $2.06 |
| 8.75¢ | $1.65 | $2.12 |
| 9.00¢ | $1.69 | $2.18 |
| 9.50¢ | $1.79 | $2.30 |
| 10.00¢ | $1.88 | $2.42 |
| 10.50¢ | $1.98 | $2.54 |
| 11.00¢ | $2.07 | $2.66 |
| 11.50¢ | $2.17 | $2.78 |
| 12.00¢ | $2.26 | $2.90 |
| 13.00¢ | $2.45 | $3.15 |
| 14.00¢ | $2.64 | $3.39 |
To calculate the break-even point of electricity compared with heating oil, find the price per kilowatt-hour paid (prices will vary by rate) and the efficiency level of the fossil fuel-operated equipment you're comparing. The price shown is the price fossil fuels must reach to break even with electricity prices to operate a 100% efficient electric technology. Higher efficiency electric applications such as heat pumps break even at lower prices.
| Electricity | Price per gallon of Heating oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Price/kWh | Efficiency | |
| Base | 70% | 80% |
| 3.00¢ | $0.86 | $0.98 |
| 3.25¢ | $0.93 | $1.07 |
| 3.50¢ | $1.00 | $1.15 |
| 3.75¢ | $1.08 | $1.23 |
| 4.00¢ | $1.15 | $1.31 |
| 4.25¢ | $1.22 | $1.39 |
| 4.50¢ | $1.29 | $1.48 |
| 4.75¢ | $1.36 | $1.56 |
| 5.00¢ | $1.44 | $1.64 |
| 5.25¢ | $1.51 | $1.72 |
| 5.50¢ | $1.58 | $1.80 |
| 5.75¢ | $1.65 | $1.89 |
| 6.00¢ | $1.72 | $1.97 |
| 6.25¢ | $1.79 | $2.05 |
| 6.50¢ | $1.87 | $2.13 |
| 6.75¢ | $1.94 | $2.22 |
| 7.00¢ | $2.01 | $2.30 |
| 7.25¢ | $2.08 | $2.38 |
| 7.50¢ | $2.15 | $2.46 |
| 7.75¢ | $2.23 | $2.54 |
| 8.00¢ | $2.30 | $2.63 |
| 8.25¢ | $2.37 | $2.71 |
| 8.50¢ | $2.44 | $2.79 |
| 8.75¢ | $2.51 | $2.87 |
| 9.00¢ | $2.58 | $2.95 |
| 9.50¢ | $2.73 | $3.12 |
| 10.00¢ | $2.87 | $3.28 |
| 10.50¢ | $3.01 | $3.45 |
| 11.00¢ | $3.16 | $3.61 |
| 11.50¢ | $3.30 | $3.77 |
| 12.00¢ | $3.45 | $3.94 |
| 13.00¢ | $3.73 | $4.27 |
| 14.00¢ | $4.02 | $4.59 |
Calculate the kilowatt-hour (kWh) equivalent for fossil fuel used at various equipment efficiencies.
| Empty Tabler Cell | kWh at 60% efficiency |
kWh at 70% efficiency |
kWh at 80% efficiency |
kWh at 90% efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas MCF | Empty Tabler Cell | |||
| 1 | 176 | 205 | 234 | 264 |
| 50 | 8,790 | 10,255 | 11,720 | 13,185 |
| 75 | 13,185 | 15,382 | 17,580 | 19,777 |
| 200 | 35,160 | 41,020 | 46,880 | 52,740 |
| Propane gallons | Empty Tabler Cell | |||
| 1 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 24 |
| 100 | 1,614 | 1,883 | 2,152 | 2,421 |
| 500 | 8,069 | 9,414 | 10,759 | 12,104 |
| 750 | 12,104 | 14,121 | 16,138 | 18,156 |
| Heating oil gallons | Empty Tabler Cell | |||
| 1 | 25 | 29 | 33 | |
| 100 | 2,461 | 2,871 | 3,282 | |
| 500 | 12,306 | 14,357 | 16,408 | |
| 750 | 18,459 | 21,535 | 24,612 | |