Prepared fo

UCCCfS Unit Converter

This Tool can be used to:
o convert energy data into different units for ease of comparisons and calculati
o calculate kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO2e) per unit of fuel;
o convert energy and carbon data into easy to communicate statistics for use in
This tool is designed to be used as a calculator, and not as a spreadsheet for saving data within. Calc
factors can be viewed, and updated if more up to date versions become available. Data included in t
of writing.

Version: 1.3
Published: November 2010
All data correct at time of publication.
 Prepared for the EAUC by

mparisons and calculations;

e) per unit of fuel;
icate statistics for use in communications.
or saving data within. Calculations have been left visible so that conversion
ailable. Data included in this spreadsheet is the latest available at the time
 UCCCfS Unit Converter Too

Energy conversion to kilowatt hours (kWh) Complete the grey cells with the figure you wish to ch
Power conversion to kilowatts (kW) conversion will automatically be calculated in the ligh
the right.
kWh/tonne and kWh/litre
Volume
Common prefixes

Energy conversion to kilowatt hours (kWh) Ref UC1

therms equals 0
Btu (British thermal units) equals 0
MJ (Megajoules) equals 0
toe (tonnes of equivalent oil) equals 0
kcal (kilo calories) equals 0

Power conversion to kilowatts (kW) Ref UC1

hp (horsepower) equals 0
Btu (British thermal units) equals 0

kWh/tonne and kWh/litre Ref UC1

When fuels are bought by volume or weight, the calorific value is needed to calculate the kWh. Your supplier should specify
information, but where this is not available, the following caluculations can be used, based on typical values.

solid fuels:
tonnes coal (weighted average) equals 0
tonnes industrial wood equals 0
tonnes short rotation coppice equals 0
tonnes straw equals 0
Liquid fuels:
tonnes fuel oil equals 0
litres fuel oil equals 0
tonnes LPG equals 0
litres LPG equals 0
tonnes gas/diesel oil equals 0
litres gas/diesel oil equals 0
tonnes burning oil equals 0
 litres burning oil equals 0
tonnes petrol equals 0
litres petrol equals 0
Gaseous fuels:
m3 natural gas equals 0

Volume Ref UC2

cubic metres equals 0
cubic feet equals 0
litres equals 0
UK gallons equals 0

Common prefixes
The following are used for multiples of joules, watts and watt-hours.
1 kilo (k) equals 1,000
1 mega (M) equals 1,000,000
1 giga (G) equals 1,000,000,000
1 tera (T) equals 1,000,000,000,000
1 peta (P) equals 1,000,000,000,000,000
onverter Tool

he figure you wish to change, and the

be calculated in the light blue cell to

kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh

kWh
kWh

r supplier should specify this

l values.

kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh

kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh

kWh

cubic feet
cubic metres
imperial gallons (UK gal)
litres
 UCCCfS Communicating Statis

Complete the grey cells with your electricity and gas use in kilowatt-hours, and the equivalent carbon dioxide, and com
statistics will automatically be calculated. For help with converting fuel quantities into kWh, use the Unit converter work
the tabs at the bottom of the screen.

Energy conversion factors*

Fuel Number of units Units Conversion factor
Grid electricity kWh 0.544
Natural gas kWh 0.184
therms 5.391
LPG kWh 0.214
therms 6.285
litres 1.497
Gas oil tonnes 3498
kWh 0.277
litres 3.029
Fuel oil tonnes 3229
kWh 0.266
Burning oil tonnes 3165
kWh 0.247
Diesel tonnes 3201
kWh 0.253
litres 2.669
Petrol tonnes 3172
kWh 0.243
litres 2.331
Industrial coal tonnes 2338
kWh 0.313
Wood pellets tonnes 121.5
kWh 0.026
Total
equals

The total CO2e emissions from fuel use on the site are

the weight of rubbish of

 the weight of
the gas required to fill
the gas required to fill

the gas required to fill

the gas required to fill

The electricity used is enough to:

provide electricity to
power a lighthouse for
make
power a television for

The gas used is enough to:

heat

* using this table allows quick calculations on CO2e to be made, which can aid communications. More detailed data need
Protocol Guidelines. Once calculations have been made using the GHG Protocol Guidelines, the data can again be inserte
calculate statistics that can be used in communications.
Communicating Statistics Tool - Campus energy use

, and the equivalent carbon dioxide, and comparison

ntities into kWh, use the Unit converter worksheet using
e screen.

kg carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO2e) Ref E1

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
kg carbon dioxide equivalent
tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent

emissions from fuel use on the site are equivalent to:

0.0 UK household's annual CO2 emissions Ref E2
0.0 UK households Ref E3
 0.0 African elephants Ref E7
0.0 hot air balloons Ref E4
0.0 double decker buses Ref E4
- 1 metre diameter CO2 balloons Ref E5
- household wheelie bins Ref E8
- party balloons Ref E9

used is enough to:

0 2-bed homes in the UK for a year Ref E6
0.0 days Ref E4
- cups of tea Ref E4
- days Ref E4

enough to:
0.0 2-bed homes in the UK for a year Ref E6

d communications. More detailed data needs to be considered for reporting purposes, using the GHG
col Guidelines, the data can again be inserted into this spreadsheet (in cell F37 for kg or F38 for tonnes) to
 UCCCfS Communicating Statistics To

Complete the grey cells with your water use in cubic metres and the equivalent carbon dioxide, and comparison statistic
calculated.

Water m3

Supplying and treating this water produced the following carbon d

0

The water used is enough to:

fill 0
shower for 0
shower for 0.00
shower for 0.00
fill 0.00
ting Statistics Tool - Water

dioxide, and comparison statistics will automatically be

oduced the following carbon dioxide emissions:

kg CO2 equivalent Ref W1

baths Ref W3
minutes Ref W2
hours Ref W2
days Ref W2
Olympic sized swimming pools
 References

Ref UC1 Carbon Trust Conversion Factors, http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/calculate/carbo

Ref UC2 Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2010 Annex A
Ref E1 The Carbon Trust, factsheet CTL085. Energy and carbon conversions 2009 update.
Ref E2 Energy Saving Trust, http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Climate-Change/How-we-contribute-to-climate
Ref E3 recyclemore.co.uk, http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page517.aspx
Ref E4 The Carbon Trust, http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy/startsaving/posterfactcalculations.htm
Ref E5 Carbon Quilt website data, http://carbonquilt.org/visualiser
Ref E6 simplyswitch.com, http://www.simplyswitch.com/energy/switchingguide/averageenergyuse.aspx
Ref E7 WWF, http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/elephants/african_elephants/
Ref E8 Using a 240litre wheelie bin, the standard size used by the majority of councils.
Ref E9 Using Volume of a Sphere formula to calculate volume, assuming balloon diameter of 15cm.
Ref W1 2010 Guidelines to Defra / DECC's GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting, http://www.defra.gov.
Ref W2 Environment Agency, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/beinggreen/118946.aspx
Ref W3 Wessex Water, www.wessexwater.co.uk
reduce-costs/calculate/carbon-footprinting/pages/conversion-factors.aspx

How-we-contribute-to-climate-change

actcalculations.htm

erageenergyuse.aspx
frican_elephants/

meter of 15cm.
orting, http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/reporting/pdf/100805-guidelines-ghg-conversion-factors.pdf
ure/beinggreen/118946.aspx