Skip First Level Navigation | Skip All Navigation

Home > Frequently Asked Questions > How can I compare the price for natural gas with the price for oil or electricity?

How can I compare the price for natural gas with the price for oil or electricity?

Heating fuels are measured in different units, making cost comparisons difficult. For example, electricity is sold by the kilowatt hour, fuel oil is sold by the gallon and gas is measured by the cubic foot or therm. In addition the efficiency that these fuels are burned at varies greatly with the equipment design and condition. To make a meaningful comparison of energy commodities, you must convert physical units of measure and the energy content of each fuel to comparable units. You can read more about this on the Department of Energy’s web page at http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/infosheets/apples.html.