ABOUT THIS PARAMETER

energy efficiency of fuel for electricity production

This refers to the efficiency with which a fuel can be used to produce electricity.

Used to calculate:fossil fuels consumed and biomass fuels consumed

Varies by: fuel

Used fuel Reference Location: Ecosystem
(study period)
Value Units Notes
* Biodiesel U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 24.6 % (0 - 100) We assumed the same value as diesel fuel. This value represents the efficiency of electricity production of diesel in a microturbine.
* Coal U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 32.67 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal
Coal EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 43 % (0 - 100) Steam turbine coal-fired power plant: 39 to 47%
Coal International Energy Agency 2008 Energy Efficiency Indicators For Public Electricity Production From Fossil Fuels global: all (2001-2005) 34 % (0 - 100) This value represents the global average energy efficiency of this fuel type.
Coal EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 47 % (0 - 100) Pulverised coal boilers with ultra-critical steam parameters: Up to 47%
* Diesel / light fuel oil U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 31.51 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal, for "petroleum" fuels
Diesel / light fuel oil U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 24.6 % (0 - 100) This value represents the efficiency of electricity production of diesel in a microturbine.
Diesel / light fuel oil EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 42 % (0 - 100) Steam turbine fuel-oil power plant: 38 to 44%
* Electricity Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 100 % (0 - 100)
* Ethanol Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 % (0 - 100)
* Gas-electric hybrid Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 % (0 - 100)
* Gasoline U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 31.51 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal, for "petroleum" fuels
Gasoline U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 24.6 % (0 - 100) This value represents the efficiency of electricity production of gasoline in a microturbine.
* Geothermal EIA 2011- Electric Power Annual 2010 US: All (2010) 16 % (0 - 100) This value is the notional efficiency of geothermal for electricity production.
* Hydroelectric U.S. Energy Information Administration 2011 - Annual Energy Review 2010 U.S.: All () 90 % (0 - 100) This value is the conversion efficiency of producing electricity with conventional hydroelectric power.
* Hydrogen U.S. Department of Energy 2006- Hydrogen Fuel Cells US: all () 60 % (0 - 100) This value refers to the efficiency of electricity production of hydrogen fuel cells in large distributed generation or auxiliary power applications.
* Jet fuel U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 31.51 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal, for "petroleum" fuels
Jet fuel Gomez et al. 2006- From jet fuel to electric power US: all () 18 % (0 - 100)
* Kerosene U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 31.51 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal, for "petroleum" fuels
Kerosene U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 24.6 % (0 - 100) This value represents the efficiency of electricity production of kerosene in a microturbine.
* Municipal solid waste IEA 2007- Biomass for Power and CHP global: all () 22 % (0 - 100) This value refers to the efficiency of electricity production in dedicated municipal solid waste cogeneration plants.
Municipal solid waste EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 26 % (0 - 100) Waste-to-electricity power plant: 22 to 28%
* Muscle Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 % (0 - 100)
* Natural gas U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 41.86 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal
Natural gas EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 39 % (0 - 100) Large gas turbine (MW range): up to 39%
Natural gas International Energy Agency 2008 Energy Efficiency Indicators For Public Electricity Production From Fossil Fuels global: all (2001-2005) 40 % (0 - 100) This value represents the global average energy efficiency of this fuel type.
Natural gas EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 58 % (0 - 100) Large gas fired CCGT power plant: up to 58%. In the case of CCGT (Combined Cycle Gas Turbine processes) power is generated more efficiently than in a simple gas turbine cycle: the hot exhaust gases of the gas turbine are used to produce steam that generates electricity in a steam turbine cycle.
* Natural gas compressed (CNG) U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 28.44 % (0 - 100)
* Natural gas liquefied (LNG) U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 28.44 % (0 - 100)
* Nuclear material U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 32.61 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal
Nuclear material EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 34.5 % (0 - 100) Nuclear power plant: 33 to 36%
Nuclear material U.S. Energy Information Administration 2011 - Annual Energy Review 2010 U.S.: All () 89.1 % (0 - 100) This value represents the generator capacity factor. The EIA defines capacity factor as a measure of how often an electric generator runs for a specific period of time. It compares how much electricity a generator actually produces with the maximum it could produce at continuous full power operation during the same period.
* Propane / LPG U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 35 % (0 - 100)
* Residual fuel oil U.S. Energy Information Administration 2012 Electric Power Annual 2011 U.S.: Electric power plants (2011) 31.51 % (0 - 100) Calculated from the "Average Operating Heat Rate for Selected Energy Sources," measured in Btu of fuel per kWh of electricity produced by converting Btu to kWh and taking the reciprocal, for "petroleum" fuels
Residual fuel oil U.S. EPA 2008- Catalog of CHP Technologies US: all () 6.9 % (0 - 100) This value refers to the efficiency of electricity production from residual fuel oil in a steam turbine.
* Solar U.S. Energy Information Administration 2011 - Annual Energy Review 2010 U.S.: All () 12 % (0 - 100) This value is the conversion efficiency of producing electricity with solar photovoltaic energy.
Solar U.S. Energy Information Administration 2011 - Annual Energy Review 2010 U.S.: All () 21 % (0 - 100) This value is the conversion efficiency of producing electricity with solar thermal power.
* Steam Energy and Environment Analysis 2008 Technology characterization: steam turbines USA: Large, electric utilities (2008) 36 % (0 - 100) "Electrical generating efficiency of steam turbine power plants varies from a high of 36 percent HHV [higher heating value] for large, electric utility plants designed for the highest practical annual capacity factor...."
Steam Energy and Environment Analysis 2008 Technology characterization: steam turbines USA: Small, simple plants (2008) 10 % (0 - 100) "Electrical generating efficiency of steam turbine power plants varies from ... to under 10 percent for small simple plants which make electricity as a byproduct of delivering steam for industrial processes or district heating for colleges, industrial parks, or building complexes."
* Wind U.S. Energy Information Administration 2011 - Annual Energy Review 2010 U.S.: All () 26 % (0 - 100) This value is the conversion efficiency of producing electricity with wind.
* Wood and other biomass EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 35 % (0 - 100) Biomass and biogas: 30-40%
Wood and other biomass IEA 2007- Biomass for Power and CHP global: all () 40 % (0 - 100) This value refers to the highest possible efficiency of electricity production from wood chips in a cogeneration plant.
Wood and other biomass EURELECTRIC 2003 Efficiency of Electricity Generation Europe: Electric power plants (2003) 40 % (0 - 100) Biomass gasification combined cycle power plant: 40%

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