Fuel Properties Comparison
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| Gasoline/E10 | Low Sulfur Diesel | Biodiesel | Renewable Diesel | Propane (LPG) | Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) | Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) | Ethanol/E100 | Methanol | Hydrogen | Electricity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Structure [1] | C4 to C12 and Ethanol ≤ to 10% | C8 to C25 | Methyl esters of C12 to C22 fatty acids | C8 to C25 | C3H8 (majority) and C4H10 (minority) | CH4 (majority), C2H6 and inert gases | CH4 same as CNG with inert gasses <0.5% (a) | CH3CH2OH | CH3OH | H2 | N/A |
| Fuel Material (feedstocks) | Crude Oil | Crude Oil | Fats and oils from sources such as soybeans, waste cooking oil, animal fats, and rapeseed | Fats, oils, and greases (including used cooking oil) | A by-product of petroleum refining or natural gas processing | Underground reserves and renewable biogas | Underground reserves and renewable biogas | Corn, grains, or agricultural waste (cellulose) | Natural gas, coal, or woody biomass | Natural gas, methanol, and electrolysis of water | Natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, hydro, solar, and small percentages of geothermal and biomass |
| Gasoline or Diesel Gallon Equivalent (GGE or DGE) | 1 gal = 1.00 GGE 1 gal = 0.88 DGE |
1 gal = 1.12 GGE 1 gal = 1.00 DGE |
B100 1 gal = 1.05 GGE 1 gal = 0.93 DGE B20 1 gal = 1.11 GGE 1 gal = 0.99 DGE |
RD 100 1 gal = 1.08 GGE 1 gal = 0.96 DGE |
1 gal = 0.74 GGE 1 gal = 0.66 DGE |
1 lb. = 0.18 GGE 1 lb. = 0.16 DGE |
1 lb. = 0.19 GGE 1 lb. = 0.17 DGE |
1 gal = 0.67 GGE 1 gal = 0.59 DGE |
1 gal = 0.50 GGE 1 gal = 0.45 DGE |
1 lb. = 0.45 GGE 1 lb. = 0.40 DGE 1 kg = 1 GGE 1 kg = 0.9 DGE |
1 kWh = 0.030 GGE 1 kWh = 0.027 DGE |
| Energy Comparison [2] | 1 gallon of gasoline has 97%–100% of the energy in 1 GGE. Standard fuel is 90% gasoline, 10% ethanol. | 1 gallon of diesel has 113% of the energy in 1 GGE due to the higher energy density of diesel fuel. | 1 gallon of B100 has 93% of the energy in 1 DGE, and 1 gallon of B20 has 99% of the energy in 1 DGE due to a lower energy density in biodiesel. | 1 gallon of RD100 has 96% of the energy of 1 DGE due to slightly lower energy density in renewable diesel. | 1 gallon of propane has 73% of the energy in 1 GGE due to the lower energy density of propane. | 5.66 lb., or 123.57 ft3, of CNG has the same energy as 1 GGE, and 6.37 lb., or 139.30 ft3, of CNG has the same energy as 1 DGE. [3][4](b) | 5.37 lb. of LNG has the same energy as 1 GGE, and 6.06 lb. of LNG has the same energy as 1 DGE. (a) | 1 gallon of E85 contains 73%–83% of the energy in 1 GGE. 1 gallon of E100 has 67% of the energy in 1 GGE. Ethanol is blended with blendstock for oxygenate blending (gasoline component). [5] | 1 gallon of methanol contains 50% of the energy as 1 GGE. | 2.2 lbs. (1 kg) of H2 has the same energy as 1 GGE. | A typical battery that is the same size as a gallon of gas (0.134 ft3), when used for transportation, can store 15.3% of the energy in 1 GGE. [6][7] |
| Energy Content (lower heating value) | 112,114–116,090 Btu/gal (c) | 128,488 Btu/gal (c) | B100 119,550 Btu/gal B20 126,700 Btu/gal (c) |
123,710 Btu/gal | 84,250 Btu/gal (c) | 20,160 Btu/lb [3](b) | 21,240 Btu/lb (a) | 76,330 Btu/gal for E100 (c) | 57,250 Btu/gal (c) | 51,585 Btu/lb (c) 33.3 kWh/kg |
3,414 Btu/kWh |
| Energy Content (higher heating value) | 120,388–124,340 Btu/gal (c) | 138,490 Btu/gal (c) | 127,960 Btu/gal for B100 (c) | N/A | 91,420 Btu/gal (c) | 22,453 Btu/lb [1](c) | 23,726 Btu/lb (c) | 84,530 Btu/gal for E100 (c) | 65,200 Btu/gal (c) | 61,013 Btu/lb (c) | 3,414 Btu/kWh |
| Physical State | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Pressurized liquid (heavier than air as a gas) | Compressed gas (lighter than air) | Cryogenic liquid (lighter than air as a gas) | Liquid | Liquid | Compressed gas (lighter than air) or liquid | Electricity |
| Cetane Number | N/A | 40–55 (d) | 45–65 (d) | 70–85 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0–54 (e) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Pump Octane Number | 84–93 (f) | N/A | N/A | N/A | 105 (g) | 120+ (h) | 120+ (h) | 110 (i) | 112 (i) | 130+ (g) | N/A |
| Flash Point | -45°F (j) | 165°F (j) | 266° to 338°F (d) | >125.6°F | -100° to -150°F (j) | -300°F (j) | -306°F (k) | 55°F (j) | 54°F (j) | N/A | N/A |
| Autoignition Temperature | 495°F (j) | ~600°F (j) | N/A | N/A | 850° to 950°F (j) | 1,004°F (j) | 1,004°F (k) | 793°F (j) | 897°F (j) | 1,050° to 1,080°F (j) | N/A |
| Maintenance Issues | Lubricity is improved over that of conventional low sulfur diesel fuel. For more maintenance information, see the Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines—Sixth Edition. (d) | Requires lubricity additive, like ultra-low- sulfur diesel | High-pressure tanks require periodic inspection and certification. | LNG is stored in cryogenic tanks with a specific hold time before the pressure build is relieved. The vehicle should be operated on a schedule to maintain a lower pressure in the tank. | Special lubricants may be required. Practices are very similar, if not identical, to those for conventionally fueled operations. | Special lubricants must be used as directed by the supplier as well as M85-compatible replacement parts. Can cause serious damage to organs in the body if a person swallows it, breathes it in, or gets it on their skin. | When hydrogen is used in fuel cell applications, maintenance should be very minimal. High-pressure tanks require periodic inspection and certification. | ||||
| Energy Security Impacts | Manufactured using oil. Transportation accounts for approximately 30% of total U.S. energy needs and 70% of petroleum consumption. (l) | Manufactured using oil. Transportation accounts for approximately 30% of total U.S. energy needs and 70% of petroleum consumption. (l) | Biodiesel is domestically produced, renewable, and reduces petroleum use 95% throughout its lifecycle. (m) | Renewable diesel is domestically produced, renewable, and reduces petroleum use 95% throughout its lifecycle. | Approximately half of U.S. LPG is derived from oil, but no oil is imported specifically for LPG production. | CNG is domestically produced from natural gas and renewable biogas. The United States has vast natural gas reserves. | LNG is domestically produced from natural gas and renewable biogas. The United States has vast natural gas reserves. | Ethanol is produced domestically. E85 reduces lifecycle petroleum use by 70%, and E10 reduces petroleum use by 6.3%. (n) | Methanol is domestically produced, sometimes from renewable resources. | Hydrogen is produced domestically and can be produced from renewable sources. | Electricity is produced domestically from a wide range of sources, including through coal-fired power plants and renewable sources, making it a versatile fuel. |
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