# Alternative	Fuels	Data	Center

– Fuel	Properties	Comparison

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/201 4 Gasoline /E10 Low	Sulfur Diesel Biodiesel Propane	( LPG ) Compressed Natural	Gas (CNG) Liquefied Natural	Gas (LNG) Ethanol /E100 Methanol Hydrogen Electricity

Chemical
Structure [1] C 4 to C 12 and
Ethanol 

### ≤ 10% C 8 to	C 25 Methyl	esters of	C 12 to	C 22 fatty	acids C 3 H 8 (majority) and	C 4 H 10 (minority) CH 4 (majority)

, C 2 H 6 and inert

gases CH 4 same as CNG	with inert	gasses <0.5%	(r) CH 3 CH 2 OH CH 3 OH H 2 N/A

Fuel	Material (feedstocks) Crude	Oil Crude	Oil Fats	and	oils from	sources such	as	soy beans,	waste cooking	oil, animal	fats, and	rapeseed A	by

- product of	petroleum refining	or natural	gas processing Underground

reserves and renewable biogas Underground

reserves and renewable biogas Corn,	grai ns,	or agricultural

waste (cellulose) Natural	gas, coal,	or, woody biomass Natural	gas, meth anol, and electrolysis	of

water Coal,	nuclear, natural	gas, hydroelectric

, and	smal l percentages of	wind	and solar

Gasoline Gallon Equivalent [ 4 ] 97%

- 100% 1 gallon	of diesel	has 113%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline. B100	has	103% of	the	energy in	one	gallon	of gasoline	or 93%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of diesel.	B20	has 109%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline	or 99%	of	the energy	of	one gallon of diesel. 1	gallon	of propane	has 73%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline. 5.66	pounds	or
123.57 cu	ft.	of CNG	has	100% of	the	energy of	one	gallon of	gasoline. [ 2 ][ 5 ] (q)

6.38	pounds	or
139.30 cu ft.	of CNG	has	100% of	the	energy content	of	one gallon	of	diesel [ 2 ][ 5 ] (q) 5.38	pounds of	LNG	has 100%	of	one gallon	of gasoline	and 6.06	pounds of	LNG	has 100%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of diesel	(r) 1	gallon	of	E85 has	73%	to 83%	of	the energy	of	one gallon of gasoline (variation	due to	ethanol
content	in E85).	1	gallon of	E10	has 96.7%	if	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline. [ 3 ] 1	gallon	of methanol	has 49%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline. 1	kg	or	2.198 lbs.	of	H 2 has 100%	of	the energy	of	one gallon	of gasoline. 33.70	kWh has	100%	of the	energy	of one	gallon	of gasoline.

Energy
Content (Lower heating value) 112,114

- 116,090 Btu/gal (g) 128, 4 88 Btu/gal (g) 119,550 Btu/gal	for
B100 (g) 84, 2 50 Btu/gal (g) 20, 160 Btu/lb [ 2 ] ( q ) 21,240 Btu/ lb ( r ) 76,330	Btu/gal for	E100 (g) 57,250 Btu/gal (g) 51,585	Btu/lb (g) 3,414 Btu/kWh

# Alternative	Fuels	Data	Center

– Fuel	Properties	Comparison

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/201 4 Gasoline /E10 Low	Sulfur Diesel Biodiesel Propane	(LPG) Compressed Natural	Gas (CNG) Liquefied Natural	Gas (LNG) Ethanol /E100 Methanol Hydrogen Electricity

Energy
Content (H igher heating value) 120,388

- 124,340 Btu/gal (g) 13 8,490 Btu/gal (g) 127,960 Btu/gal	for
B100 (g) 91, 4 20 Btu/gal (g) 22,453 Btu/lb [1] (g) 23,726 Btu/ lb (g) 84,530	Btu/gal for	E100 (g) 65,200 Btu/gal (g) 61,013	Btu/lb (g) 3,414 Btu/kWh

Physical	State Liquid Liquid Liquid Pressurized Liquid Compressed
Gas Cryogenic Liquid Liquid Liquid Compressed Gas	or	Liquid Electricity

Cetane Number N/A 40

- 55 (a) 48

- 65 (a) N/A N/A N/A 0

- 54 (b) N/A N/A N/A

Pump	Octane Number 84

- 93 (c) N/A N/A 105 (f) 120+ (d) 120+ (d) 110 (e) 112 (e) 130+ (f) N/A

Flash	Point

- 45	°F (o) 165	°F (o) 212	to	338	°F ( a ) - 100	to

- 150	°F (o) - 300	°F (o)

- 306	°F ( p ) 55	°F (o) 52	°F (o) N/A N/A

Autoignition Temperature 495	°F (o) ~600	°F (o) ~300		°F ( a ) 850	to	950	°F (o) 1,004	°F (o) 1,004	°F ( p ) 793	°F (o) 897	°F (o) 1,050	to 1,080	°F (o) N/A

Maintenance
Issues Hoses	and seals	may	be affected	by higher

- percent blend.	Lubricity is	improved over	that	of conventional diesel	fuel. 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 and	M

- 85

- compatible replacement parts	must	be used. When hydrogen is used	in	fuel cell applications,
maintenance should	be very	minimal. High

- pressure tanks	require periodic inspection and certification. It	is	likely	that the	battery will	need replacement before	the vehicle	is retired.

# Alternative	Fuels	Data	Center

– Fuel	Properties	Comparison

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/201 4 Gasoline /E10 Low	Sulfur Diesel Biodiesel Propane	(LPG) Compressed Natural	Gas (CNG) Liquefied Natural	Gas (LNG) Ethanol /E100 Methanol Hydrogen Electricity

Energy Security Impacts Manufactured using	oil,	of which	nearly 1/2 is	imported (n). Manufactured using	oil,	of which	nearly 1/2 is	imported (n). Biodiesel	is domestically produced, renewable, and	reduces petroleum	use
95% throughout	its lifecycle (i). Approximately half	of	the	LPG in	the	U.S.	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

. Ethanol	is produced domestically.
E85 reduces lifecycle petroleum	use by	70%	and E10	reduces petroleum	use by	6.3% (l). Methanol	is domestically produced,
sometimes from renewable

resources. Hydrogen	is produced domestically and	can	be produced from renewable

sources. Electricity	is generated mainly through	coal fired	power plants.	Coal	is the	United
States ’ most plentiful	and price

- stable fossil	energy

resource.



### Notes [1] Standard	Chemical	Formulas	represent	idealized	fuels.	Some	table	values	are	expressed	in	ranges	to	represent	typical fuel	variations	that	are	encountered	in	the	field [ 2 ] The	type	of	meter	or	dispensing	equipment	being	used	to	fuel	vehicles	must	be	taken	into	consideration.	For	fast

- fill	stations	that	dispense	CNG	with	Coriolis	flow	meters,	which	measure	fuel	mass	and

re port	fuel	dispensed	on	a	"gallon	of	gasoline

- equivalent"	(GGE)	basis,	the	lbs./GGE	factor	should	be	used. For	time

- fill	stations	or	other	applications	that	use	traditional	residential	and	commercial	gas	meters that	measure/register	in	units	of	cubic	feet, the	CF/GGE	factor	should	be	used. [ 3 ] E85	is	a	high

- level	gasoline

- ethanol	blend	containing	51%	to	83%	ethanol,	depending	on	geography	and	season.	Ethanol	content	is	lower	in	winter	months	in cold	climates	to	ensure	a	vehicle	starts.	Based on	composition, E85's	lower	heating	value	varies	from	83,950	to	95,450	Btu/gal.	This equates to	73%	to	83%	the	heat	content	of	gasoline

. [ 4 ] GGE	table	values	reflect	BTU	range	for	common	gasoline	baseline	references	(E0,	E10,	and	indolene	certification	fuel) [ 5 ] See	Compressed	Natural	Gas	Gasoline	&	Diesel	Gallon	Equivalency	Methodology	at http://afdc.energy.gov/fuels /equivalency_methodology.html



### Sources (a) R.L.	McCormick.	Biodiesel	Handling	and	Use	Guidelines

— Fourth	Edition,	National	Renewable	Energy	Laboratory,	2009. (b) American	Petroleum	Institute	(API),	Alcohols	and	Ethers,	Publication	No.	4261,	3rd	ed.	(Washington,	DC,	June	2001),	Table	2. (c) Petroleu m	Product	Surveys:	Motor	Gasoline,	Summer	1986,	Winter	1986/1987.	National	Institute	for	Petroleum	and	Energy	Research. (d) K.	Owen	and	T.	Coley.	1995.	Automotive	Fuels	Reference	Book:	Second	Edition.	Society	of	Automotive	Engineers,	Inc.	Warrendale ,	PA. ( e) J.	Heywood.	1988.	Internal	Combustion	Engine	Fundamentals.	McGraw

- Hill	Inc.	New	York. (f) American	Petroleum	Institute	(API),	Alcohols	and	Ethers,	Publication	No.	4261,	3rd	ed.	(Washington,	DC,	June	2001),	Table	B

- 1. (g) Greenhouse	Gases,	Regulated	Emis sions,	and	Energy	Use	in	Transportation	(GREET)	Model,	version 1

. 2013 .	Input	Fuel	Specifications.	Argonne	National	Laboratory.	Chicago,	IL. (h) The	National	Biodiesel	Board	website	reports	that	"most	major	engine	companies	have	stated	formally	that	the	us e	of	blends	up	to	B20	will	not	void	their	parts	and	workmanship	warranties."	Accessed 11/15/12	at http://www.biodiesel.org/using

- biodiesel/oem

- information/ oem

- statement

- summary

- chart (i) J.	Sheehan,	V.	Camobreco,	J.	Duffield,	M.	Graboski,	and	H.	Shapouri.	1998.	An	Overview	of	Biodiesel	and	Petroleum	Diesel	Life Cycles.	Report	of	National	Renewable	Energy	Laboratory	(NREL)	and US

Department	of	Energy	(DOE). (j) R.L.	McCormick,	A.	Williams,	J.	Ireland,	M.	Brimhall,	and	R.R.	Hayes.	2006.	Effects	of	Biodiesel	Blends	on	Vehicle	Emissions. NREL	Milestone	Report	NREL/MP

- 540

- 40554. (k) K.	Kelly,	L.	Eudy,	and	T.	Coburn.	1999.	Light

- Duty	Alternative	Fuel	Vehicles:	Fed eral	Test	Procedure	Emissions	Results.	Report	of	National	Renewable	Energy	Laboratory	(NREL),	NREL/TP

- 540

- 25818. (l) M.	Wang.	2005.	Energy	and	Greenhouse	Gas	Emissions	Impacts	of	Fuel	Ethanol.	Presentation	to	the	NGCA	Renewable	Fuels	Forum,	A ugust	23,	2005 .	Argonne	National	Laboratory.	Chicago,	IL. (m) J.	Murray,	Ben	Lane,	K.	Lillie,	and	J.	McCallum.	2000.	An	Assessment	of	the	Emissions	Performance	of	Alternative	and	Conventi onal	Fuels.	Report	of	the	Alternative	Fuels	Group	of	the	Cleaner	Vehicles	Task
Forc e.	Norwich,	UK. (n) Energy	Information	Administration.	Monthly	Energy	Review.	Summary	for	2006. (o) Methanol	Institute.	Fuel	Properties.	Accessed	11/14/2012	at http://www.methanol.org/Energy/Resources/Alternative

- Fuel/Alt

- Fuel

- Properties.aspx

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– Fuel	Properties	Comparison

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/201 4 (p) Foss,	Michelle.	2012.	LNG	Safety	and	Security.	Bureau	of	Economic	Geology,	Jackson	School	of	Geosciences.	University	of	Texas at	Austin. (q) Report	of	the	78th National	Conference	on	Weights	and	measures,	1993 ,	NIST	Special	Publication	854,	pp	322

- 326	( NG	data	derived	from	field	sampling	of	pipeline	natural	gas	by	IGT/GRI). (r) http://www.cleanvehicle.org/committee/technical/PDFs/DGEforCNGandLNGJustificationDocum ent.pdf