About

Utility managers, facility engineers, and residential tenants often face the challenge of reconciling energy bills from different sources. Electricity is metered in Kilowatt-hours (kWh), while district heating systems frequently use Gigacalories (Gcal). Direct comparison is impossible without accurate conversion, leading to budgeting errors and missed savings opportunities. This tool bridges that gap by applying the standard thermodynamic conversion factor.

Accuracy in this conversion is critical for financial audits. A rounding error in the conversion factor can compound over thousands of units, resulting in significant discrepancies in cost projection. This calculator uses the precise factor where 1 kWh ≈ 0.0008598 Gcal. It allows for immediate side-by-side cost analysis, enabling users to determine whether electrical heating or district heating is more economical for a specific period.

Formulas

The conversion between electrical energy and thermal energy relies on the definition of the calorie relative to the joule. The core relationship is defined as follows:

E_(Gcal) = E_(kWh) × 0.0008598452

To calculate the comparative cost, the tool applies the unit price to the converted values. If P_kWh is the price per Kilowatt-hour and P_Gcal is the price per Gigacalorie, the effective cost of the converted energy is derived.

Cost Ratio = P_kWhP_Gcal × 0.0008598

Reference Data

Energy Value (kWh)	Heat Energy (Gcal)	Heat Energy (kcal)	Equivalent (MJ)
1	0.00086	859.8	3.6
10	0.00860	8,598	36.0
100	0.08598	85,984	360
500	0.42992	429,922	1,800
1,000	0.85985	859,845	3,600
1,163	1.00000	1,000,000	4,186
2,500	2.14961	2,149,613	9,000
5,000	4.29923	4,299,226	18,000
10,000	8.59845	8,598,452	36,000
15,000	12.89768	12,897,678	54,000

Frequently Asked Questions

One Kilowatt-hour is exactly 3.6 Megajoules. One thermochemical calorie is approximately 4.184 Joules. When you scale this up to Gigacalories (10^9 calories), the math yields 1 kWh = 859.8452 kilocalories, or 0.0008598 Gcal.

No. This tool converts raw energy units. To compare actual heating costs, you must manually adjust the input cost to reflect the efficiency of your electric heater (usually close to 100%) versus a district heating heat exchanger (variable efficiency).

Effective Cost shows what you would pay for the equivalent amount of heat if you bought it as Gcal instead of kWh, based on your input rates. This highlights the arbitrage opportunity between electricity and district heating.

Yes. Energy units are universal. If you are comparing an electric chiller (kWh) to a district cooling system (often billed in Ton-hours or Gcal), the energy conversion remains valid, though efficiency (COP) becomes a major factor.

The savings percentage represents the reduction in cost if you were to switch from the more expensive energy source to the cheaper one for the specified amount of energy.