Calculating Gas usage m3 - kWh?

Question

In 5 weeks I've used about 11,491m3 of gas - what would this work out in kWh?

Obv I can wait for my first bill but would just like a rough idea of what I'm looking to pay each month.

Thanks a mil.

Answer 1

Regardless of the 1st answer, you can get a rough idea by estimating your conversion efficiency and multiplying that by the BTUs you've used. I don't know the gas you're using (propane, natural, etc.) but assuming natural gas, the generally accepted specific energy is 1031 BTU / ft^3, so calculate 1031 * 11,491 / (0.3048^3). The divisor converts m^3 to ft^3.
Next, if you're using the gas for heat, assume say 75% (0.75) efficiency. If you're deriving mechanical energy from the gas, 30% (0.30) might be in the ball park. Multiply your BTUs by this factor (or if you have a better figure, use it). These efficiency factors are needed because electrical resistance heating and conversion to mechanical energy are, respectively, 100% and almost 100% efficient.
Finally, divide the efficiency-scaled BTUs by 3412 and this will give you the equivalent kwh.
This figure is the kwh needed to do whatever you do with the gas you use. If you just want to know the energy equivalent of the gas you used, that's independent of efficiency, so don't use the efficiency multiplier.
For your numbers the energy equivalent = 122620 kwh. That's a lot! I'd guess either you're an industrial customer or the comma in 11,491 indicates a decimal point. If it's the latter your equivalent consumption = 122.6 kwh.
Obviously you should look up the specific energy for whatever gas you used if it isn't natural gas.

Answer 2

M3 To Kwh

Answer 3

You need to know 2 quantities, which ought to be shown on your bill. The first is the quantity of gas that you have used, and this would have been measured by your own meter. The second is the Calorific Value of the gas, that is to say, how much heat it gives off when burned. This second quantity varies with different sources of gas, so it is probably given as an average value for the gas being supplied to you. IF the bill is to mean anything, the Calorific Value for a given quantity (not sure what measurements you are using in the USA) must be shown, and also the metered quantity. Then you just need to calculate quantity x calorific Value to give you joules. One joule per second is a watt, and one thousand of those is a kilowatt. Divide by 3600 (number of seconds in an hour) and you have kilowatt hours. The Calorific Value ought to be shown on your bill in joules per unit of quantity, but I really do not know what units are actually being used in the US, presumably not metric, though.

Answer 4

This is a very debatable question.
The conversion volume of gas to energy is a non sense by itself although in reality it is intended to provide a figure of the amount of energy Gas can release while burning.

The point is that combustion depends on various factors such as nature of the gas, its concentration , the amount of oxygen is used or even as an example the efficiency of you gas boiler .

converting cube meter in KWh is a non sense. it would be like having KWh or bhp shown on at the petrol pump at your local petrol station.

There are various ways of extracting energy from gas or solid, or liquid, (e.g chemical reaction, nuclear reaction or combustion) depending which way you use you might get different results

Answer 5

114910