Enter a price in $/MWh or $/MMBtu to convert to the other value using energy equivalence or a plant heat-rate basis.
Common Mistakes Quick tips
- Entering values in both price fields. Fill exactly one: either $/MWh or $/MMBtu.
- Mixing modes: energy equivalence vs. heat-rate basis. Use heat rate when translating fuel prices to power prices or vice versa.
- Confusing heat rate units. Convert Btu/kWh to MMBtu/MWh by dividing by 1000.
- Assuming the conversion accounts for losses, fees, or delivery charges—it’s a pure unit/efficiency translation only.
When to Use This Calculator
- Compare electric power prices ($/MWh) with fuel prices ($/MMBtu).
- Estimate implied fuel cost from a power price using a known plant heat rate.
- Translate gas-indexed offers into equivalent power prices or evaluate spark spreads quickly.
Input Definitions
- $/MWh — price per megawatt-hour of electricity.
- $/MMBtu — price per million British thermal units of fuel.
- Energy equivalence mode — uses 1 MWh = 3.412141633 MMBtu.
- Heat rate basis — uses heat rate, HR (MMBtu/MWh). If entered as Btu/kWh, convert via HR(MMBtu/MWh) = HR(Btu/kWh) ÷ 1000.
$/MWh to $/MMBtu Formula
The following formulas convert between $/MWh and $/MMBtu using either pure energy equivalence or a plant heat-rate basis.
\quad \frac{\$}{\mathrm{MMBtu}} = \frac{\frac{\$}{\mathrm{MWh}}}{3.412141633}\quad\quad \frac{\$}{\mathrm{MWh}} = \frac{\$}{\mathrm{MMBtu}} \times 3.412141633\\
- Energy equivalence constant: 1 MWh = 3.412141633 MMBtu.
- Heat rate conversion: MMBtu/MWh = (Btu/kWh) ÷ 1000.
- Use energy equivalence to translate pure energy prices; use heat-rate mode to translate between fuel and power prices given efficiency.
How do you convert $/MWh to $/MMBtu? Energy basis: divide by 3.412141633; heat-rate basis: divide by HR (MMBtu/MWh).
How do you convert $/MMBtu to $/MWh? Energy basis: multiply by 3.412141633; heat-rate basis: multiply by HR (MMBtu/MWh).
$/MWh to $/MMBtu Conversion Table
| $/MWh | $/MMBtu |
|---|---|
| 10 | 2.931 |
| 15 | 4.396 |
| 20 | 5.861 |
| 25 | 7.327 |
| 30 | 8.792 |
| 40 | 11.723 |
| 50 | 14.654 |
| 60 | 17.584 |
| 75 | 21.980 |
| 100 | 29.307 |
| 150 | 43.961 |
| 200 | 58.614 |
| * Energy equivalence basis: 1 MWh = 3.412141633 MMBtu. | |
Example Problem
Convert $50/MWh to $/MMBtu (energy equivalence).
Use the formula: $/MMBtu = ($/MWh) ÷ 3.412141633.
$/MMBtu = 50 ÷ 3.412141633 ≈ 14.654 $/MMBtu
