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natural gas

gas gas

DESNZ 2025 'Natural gas' (UK grid mix). The per-m³ heating values are DERIVED from DESNZ's verbatim density and gravimetric CV (marked in each entry's notes), because DESNZ's volumetric cell is rounded to 0.01 kWh/L. IPCC 2006 Natural Gas NCV 48.0 MJ/kg, CO2 56,100 kg/TJ. EIA US: 1,036 Btu/scf, 54.81 kg CO2/Mcf. LNG, CNG and pure methane are separate entries with their own densities.

  • Natural gas m³→energy is NOT an exact identity. The reference temperature and pressure (normal m³ at 0 °C vs standard m³ at 15/25 °C) are NOT stated by the source, and real energy content varies by field, network and time.
  • This is NOT how a gas bill is calculated: billing uses your supplier's local calorific value (Brennwert) and a state-correction number (Zustandszahl) that maps your meter's operating-condition m³ to reference energy. Do not use this result for billing disputes.

Easily confused with

Different products with different numbers. Check you are on the right one.

  • CNG 175 kg/m³ 0.4507 kgCO₂e/L
  • LNG 452.489 kg/m³ 1.17797 kgCO₂e/L
  • methane 0.716 kg/m³
  • biogas 1.15 kg/m³ 0.00124314 kgCO₂e/kg

Density

0.802 kg/m³

at gas phase; reference T/P NOT stated by DESNZ (see warning)

Heating values

LHV/NCV
  • 45.745 MJ/kg
  • 10.191 kWh/m³
HHV/GCV
  • 50.678 MJ/kg
  • 11.290 kWh/m³
Source for all values above

Emission factors

CO₂ ≠ CO₂e — separate metrics, never converted into one another. What these metrics mean →

Worked example: 1 m³ natural gas converted to every unit
Open in converter →
Converting
1 m³ · natural gas

At a glance

All results

Energy

Same energy expressed in other units.

Net calorific value · LHV/NCV

LHV vs. HHV — what is the difference?
source-based every figure below
36.69 MJ
10.19 kWh
0.03669 GJ
34,770 BTU

Gross calorific value · HHV/GCV

source-based every figure below
40.64 MJ
11.29 kWh
0.04064 GJ
38,520 BTU

Mass

0.802 kg
source-based

Volume

exact every figure below
1,000,000 mL
1,000 L
1 m³
~264.172 US gal
~219.969 imp gal
~6.28981 bbl

Emissions

CO₂ and CO₂e are separate — never derived from each other.

region + year every figure below
~2.06 kg CO₂
~2.07 kg CO₂e

Energy density

Energy per unit of mass or volume.

Net calorific value · LHV/NCV

LHV vs. HHV — what is the difference?
source-based every figure below
45.74 MJ/kg
10.19 kWh/m³

Assumptions

  • density: assumed natural gas density 0.802 kg/m³ at gas phase; reference T/P NOT stated by DESNZ (see warning)
  • heating value basis: energy on LHV/NCV basis, 10.191 kWh/m³
  • heating value basis: energy on HHV/GCV basis, 11.290 kWh/m³

Sources

Follow each source back to its primary document — that traceability is the point. How conversions work →

Sources

Learn more

HHV/GCV vs LHV/NCV Higher heating value counts the heat of condensing water vapour; lower heating value does not. The gap can be 5–20%.Natural gas: m³ to kWh Converting a cubic metre of gas to energy is never exact — it depends on composition and reference conditions.Why fuel conversions are approximate Density, calorific value and emission factors are material properties that vary — so fuel results are sourced estimates, not constants.