Gigacalories to Tonnes of Coal Equivalent (TCE) Converter
Convert Gigacalories (Gcal) to Tonnes of Coal Equivalent (TCE). Includes CO2 emission estimates and fuel comparison data for environmental reporting.
About
Energy benchmarking requires standardized units to compare diverse fuel sources like natural gas, lignite, and oil. The Tonnes of Coal Equivalent (TCE) is a primary metric used by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to normalize energy data. This converter translates thermal energy measured in Gcal into TCE, facilitating accurate carbon footprint analysis and environmental audits.
Understanding the relationship between thermal output and physical fuel mass is critical for plant managers and environmental economists. A precise conversion ensures compliance with international reporting standards. The calculation relies on the definition that one unit of standard coal produces approximately 7 Gigacalories of energy. Additionally, estimating the associated CO2 emissions provides immediate context regarding the environmental impact of the energy consumed.
Formulas
The conversion is based on the specific energy content of standard coal. The fundamental relationship is defined as:
To estimate Carbon Dioxide emissions, an emission factor (k) is applied to the TCE value. While this varies by fuel source, a general baseline for standard coal is used for estimation:
Where kemission averages 2.6 tonnes of CO2 per TCE for generic coal mixtures.
Reference Data
| Fuel Type | Calorific Value (Gcal/tonne) | TCE per Tonne of Fuel | CO2 Factor (tCO2/TCE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Coal (TCE Ref) | 7.00 | 1.00 | 2.60 |
| Natural Gas (per 1k m³) | 8.50 | 1.21 | 1.65 |
| Heavy Fuel Oil | 9.80 | 1.40 | 2.15 |
| Lignite (Brown Coal) | 3.50 | 0.50 | 2.85 |
| Anthracite | 7.50 | 1.07 | 2.70 |
| Diesel | 10.20 | 1.45 | 2.05 |
| Peat | 3.20 | 0.45 | 3.00 |
| Wood Pellets (Biomass) | 4.10 | 0.58 | 0.00 (Net) |
| Crude Oil | 10.00 | 1.42 | 2.10 |
| Coke Oven Gas | 4.20 | 0.60 | 1.80 |