Gasoline gallon equivalent
Gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) or gasoline-equivalent gallon (GEG) is the amount of alternative fuel it takes to equal the energy content of one liquid gallon of gasoline. In 1994, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology or NIST defined "gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) means 5.660 pounds of natural gas."[1]
GGE allows consumers to compare the energy content of competing fuels against a commonly known fuel—gasoline. Compressed natural gas (CNG), for example, is a gas rather than a liquid. It can be measured by its volume in cubic feet (ft³), by its weight in pounds (lb) or by its energy content in joules (J) or British thermal units (BTU) or kilowatt-hours (kW·h). It is difficult to compare the cost of gasoline with other fuels if they are sold in different units. GGE solves this. A GGE of CNG and a GGE of electricity all have the same energy content as one gallon of gasoline. CNG sold at filling stations is priced in dollars per GGE.
One important point that somewhat clouds the practical utility of a GGE for comparing different fuels to each other is that machines which run on them produce usable energy from different fuels at different efficiencies.
Contents |
[edit] GGE - Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (US Gallons) Tables
| Fuel - Liquid, US Gallons | GGE | GGE % | BTU/Gal | kWh/Gal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (base)[2] | 1.0000 | 100.00% | 114,000 | 33.41 |
| Gasoline (conventional, summer)[2] | 0.9960 | 100.40% | 114,500 | 33.56 |
| Gasoline (conventional, winter)[2] | 1.0130 | 98.72% | 112,500 | 32.97 |
| Gasoline (reformulated gasoline, ethanol)[2] | 1.0190 | 98.14% | 111,836 | 32.78 |
| Gasoline (reformulated gasoline, ETBE)[2] | 1.0190 | 98.14% | 111,811 | 32.77 |
| Gasoline (reformulated gasoline, MTBE)[2] | 1.0200 | 98.04% | 111,745 | 32.75 |
| Gasoline (10% MBTE)[3] | 1.0200 | 98.04% | 112,000 | 32.83 |
| Gasoline (regular unleaded)[4] | 1.0000 | 100.00% | 114,100 | 33.44 |
| Diesel #2[4] | 0.8800 | 113.64% | 129,500 | 37.95 |
| Biodiesel (B100)[4] | 0.9600 | 104.17% | 118,300 | 34.80 |
| Bio Diesel (B20)[4] | 0.9000 | 111.11% | 127,250 | 37.12 |
| Liquid natural gas (LNG)[4] | 1.5362 | 65.10% | 75,000 | 21.75 |
| Liquefied petroleum gas (propane) (LPG)[4] | 1.3500 | 74.04% | 84,300 | 24.75 |
| Methanol fuel (M100)[4] | 2.0100 | 49.75% | 56,800 | 16.62 |
| Ethanol fuel (E100)[4] | 1.5000 | 66.67% | 76,100 | 22.27 |
| Ethanol (E85)[4] | 1.3900 | 71.94% | 81,800 | 24.04 |
| Jet fuel (naphtha)[5] | 0.9700 | 103.09% | 118,700 | 34.44 |
| Jet fuel (kerosene)[5] | 0.9000 | 111.11% | 128,100 | 37.12 |
| Fuel - Non Liquid | GGE | GGE % | BTU/unit | kWh/Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (base)[2] | 1.0000 | 100.00% | 114,000 BTU/gal | 33.41 |
| Compressed natural gas (CNG)[4] | 126.67 cu ft (3.587 m3) | 900 BTU/cu ft | ||
| Hydrogen at 101.325 kPa | 357.37 cu ft | 319 BTU/cu ft[6] | ||
| Hydrogen by weight | 0.997 kg (2.198 lb)[7] | 119.9 MJ/kg (51,500 BTU/lb)[8] | ||
| Nitromethane | ~2.3 | 41.23% | ~47,000 BTU/gal | |
| Electricity | 33.40 kilowatt-hours | 3,413 BTU/(kW·h) [9][10] | 33.40 |
| 1 GGE = 33.40 KWH | |
| For Local Rate Per KWH |
$/Gallon Equivalent |
| $0.07 | $2.338 |
| $0.08 | $2.670 |
| $0.09 | $3.006 |
| $0.10 | $3.340 |
| $0.11 | $3.674 |
| $0.12 | $4.000 |
| $0.13 | $4.342 |
| $0.14 | $4.670 |
| $0.15 | $5.010 |
| $0.16 | $5.344 |
| $0.17 | $5.678 |
| $0.18 | $6.012 |
| $0.19 | $6.346 |
| $0.20 | $6.680 |
| $0.25 | $8.350 |
| $0.27 | $9.018 |
| $0.28 | $9.352 |
| $0.29 | $9.686 |
| $0.30 | $10.020 |
Rates per KWH for Residential Electricity in the USA Range From $0.0728 (Idaho) to $0.166 (Alaska) and $0.2783 (Hawaii) [11] [12]
[edit] Compressed natural gas
One GGE of natural gas is 126.67 cubic feet (3.587 m3) at standard conditions. This volume of natural gas has the same energy content as one US gallon of gasoline (based on lower heating values: 900 BTU/cu ft of natural gas and 115,000 BTU/gal of gasoline).[13]
One GGE of CNG pressurized at 2,400 psi (17 MPa) is 0.77 cubic foot (21.8 liters). This volume of CNG at 2,400 psi has the same energy content as one US gallon of gasoline (based on lower heating values: 148,144 BTU/cu ft of CNG and 115,000 BTU/gal of gasoline.[13] Using Boyle's Law, the equivalent GGE at 3,600 psi (25 MPa) is 0.51 cubic foot (14.4 L or 3.82 actual US gal).
The National Conference of Weights & Measurements (NCWM) has developed a standard unit of measurement for compressed natural gas, defined in the NIST Handbook 44 Appendix D as follows: "1 Gasoline [US] gallon equivalent (GGE) means 2.567 kg (5.660 lb) of natural gas."[14]
When consumers refuel their CNG vehicles in the USA, the CNG is usually measured and sold in GGE units. This is fairly helpful as a comparison to gallons of gasoline.
[edit] Ethanol
One GGE of ethanol is 1.5 gallons. This volume of ethanol has the same energy content as one US gallon of gasoline. This is because a gallon of ethanol has a lower heat value or energy content (76,100 BTU) when compared to a gallon of gasoline (114,100 BTU). A 2006 University of California Berkley study, after analyzing six separate studies, concluded that producing ethanol from corn uses much less petroleum than producing gasoline.[15]
Ordinary consumers driving a "flex-fuel" vehicle may experience a drop (~15%) in fuel mileage when using 85% ethanol products (the compression ratio is fixed mechanically, and electronic sensors can only modify the timing of the spark and allow the electronic fuel injectors to provide more of the reduced energy-content fuel).[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Handbook 44 Appendix D - Definitions". NIST. 2007. http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/upload/Handbook-44-Appendix-D-Definitions.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Fuel Economy Impact Analysis of RFG". US Environmental Protection Agency. 2007-08-14. http://www.epa.gov/oms/rfgecon.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ http://www.nafa.org/Template.cfm?Section=Energy_Equivalents
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/resources/a/gge.htm
- ^ a b http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/rtecs/nhts_survey/2001/tablefiles/c0464(2005).pdf
- ^ http://www.mb-soft.com/public2/hydrogen.html
- ^ http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/upload/H2-Laws-and-Reg-Paper-USNWG-JUN2008.pdf
- ^ http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/pdfs/43741-2.pdf
- ^ "Energy Conversions". Oak Ridge National Laboratory. http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/energy_conv.html. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ "Conserving Energy and Water - Energy Terms/Conversions". Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 2008-06. http://www.pnl.gov/conserve-energy/terms.stm. Retrieved 2009-01-01.[dead link]
- ^ "Electricity Prices by State - National Electric Rate Information". Eisenbach Consulting, LLC. http://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state.php.
- ^ "Average Retail Price of Electricity". ElectricRates.us. http://www.electricrates.us/articles/20627/Average-Retail-Price-of-Electricity.
- ^ a b "Properties of fuels". DOE: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/fueltable.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ "Uniform Engine Fuels, Petroleum Products and Automotive Lubricants Regulation". NIST. pp. 149–164. http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Publications/upload/13_IV_EngFuelReg04.doc#_Toc48655096. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ Sanders, Robert (January 26, 2006).Ethanol can replace gasoline with significant energy savings, comparable impact on greenhouse gases. University of California Berkley Energy Resources Group, Dan Kammen and Alex Farrell; Michael O'Hare, Goldman School of Public Policy. Also published 27 JANUARY 2006 VOL 311 Science, www.sciencemag.org .Retrieved August 22, 2011.
