Useful Conversion Factors
Energy
One joule (J) = 1 watt second (Ws)
One kilojoule (kJ) = 1 kilowatt second (kWs)
One gigajoule (GJ) = 277.78 kilowatt-hours (kWh)
One kilowatt (kW) = 3412 British Thermal Unit (BTU)
One kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3.6 megajoules (MJ)
One kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 860 kilocalories (kcal)
One British Thermal Unit (BTU) = 1.055 megajoule (MJ)
One therm = 29.037 kilowatt-hour (kWh)
One Tonne Oil Equivalent (toe) = 2 Oven Dry Tonnes wood (odt)
See also the Energy Content of Wood
Volume
Wood chip
One tonne (t) at 30% moisture content = 2.7 cubic meter (m3)
Wood pellet
One tonne (t) = 1.5 cubic meter (m3)
Some other reference figures are given below:
|
Wood Product by
Mass (kg)
|
Moisture Content (%)
|
Calorific Value (MJ/kg)
|
Energy Content (kWh)
|
Heating oil equivalent (l)
|
|
Hardwood (Beech)
1000kg
|
18 (air dried)
|
14.6
|
4069
|
407
|
|
Hardwood (Beech) 1000kg
|
35 (natural dried)
|
11.1
|
3085
|
308
|
|
Hardwood (Beech) 1000kg
|
50 ("green")
|
7.9
|
2212
|
219
|
|
Softwood
(spruce) 1000kg
|
18 (air dried)
|
14.9
|
4137
|
414
|
|
Softwood
(spruce) 1000kg
|
35 (natural dried)
|
11.3
|
3139
|
314
|
|
Softwood
(spruce) 1000kg
|
50 ("green")
|
8.1
|
2315
|
225
|
|
Wood Pellets
1000kg
|
10 (standard)
|
17.0
|
4725
|
471
|