Convert kg of LPG to kWh
The value above comes from a published dataset (DEFRA, EPA, IPCC) that's revised about yearly. Get one email when this number changes: old → new, and what it means. No marketing.
A kilogram of LPG carries about 13.70 kWh on the gross basis, or 12.76 kWh on the net. That makes it the most energy-dense of the common fuels by weight — more per kilogram than diesel, petrol or coal. It is also the reason this page works in kilograms while the diesel and petrol converters work in litres: LPG is the one liquid fuel routinely sold by mass.
To convert kilograms of LPG to kilowatt-hours, multiply by 13.70 on the gross calorific value, or by 12.76 on the net. So a 47 kg bottle holds about 644 kWh. Reversed, a kilowatt-hour is roughly 0.073 kg of LPG.
kWh = kg × calorific value per kg. Reverse: kg = kWh ÷ calorific value. The reference table publishes LPG’s energy per tonne rather than per kilogram, so the per-kilogram figure is that value converted — a fixed unit step, with the underlying energy figure read live.
| LPG | Gross (GCV) | Net (NCV) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | 13.70 kWh | 12.76 kWh |
| 13 kg (patio bottle) | 178 kWh | 166 kWh |
| 47 kg (standard bottle) | 644 kWh | 600 kWh |
| 1,000 kg (one tonne) | 13,700 kWh | 12,760 kWh |
How to convert kg of LPG to kWh
Multiply by 13.70 for gross, or 12.76 for net. A standard 47 kg bottle holds roughly 644 kWh — comparable to a couple of months of a typical household’s electricity, in a cylinder one person can move on a trolley.
The anchor is fourteen: a kilogram of LPG is a little under fourteen kilowatt-hours. That is higher than any other common fuel per unit mass, which is exactly why it is the fuel of choice where weight matters — forklifts, caravans, off-grid heating and portable equipment.
kWh to kg of LPG
Divide by the same figure. 1,000 kWh is about 73 kg of LPG on the gross basis, or 78 kg on the net — roughly a bottle and a half.
Why LPG is sold by weight when other fuels are sold by volume
LPG is a gas at ambient conditions, kept liquid under modest pressure. Its volume therefore depends on temperature and on how full the container is, in a way a litre of diesel simply does not — so selling it by volume would be selling an unstable quantity.
| Fuel | Sold by | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel / petrol | Volume (litres) | Stable liquid at ambient conditions; a meter reads volume directly |
| LPG | Mass (kg) | Liquefied under pressure — volume varies with temperature and fill level |
| Natural gas | Energy (kWh) | Volume is compressible and composition varies, so neither volume nor mass is billed |
Bottled LPG is therefore sold in kilograms, and bulk tanks are gauged by percentage fill and converted. The litres of diesel to kg page covers the equivalent volume-mass bridge for a stable liquid fuel.
Gross or net calorific value
The two bases are just under seven per cent apart for LPG. Gross is the UK reporting and billing convention; net is the IPCC inventory convention. The difference is whether the energy carried away in exhaust water vapour is counted — the full explanation sits on litres of diesel to kWh, and the rule is the same for every fuel.
“LPG” is not one substance. It is predominantly propane and butane, and the proportions vary by supplier, by market and by season — more butane in summer, more propane in winter, because propane performs better in cold weather. Propane and butane sit either side of the figure used here, so the value is a reference blend rather than a specification. For most reporting and sizing work that is exactly what you want; for a precise engineering calculation on a specific delivery, use the supplier’s own composition data.
Where this conversion is needed
- Off-grid heating — comparing bottled or bulk LPG against oil, electricity or a heat pump requires a common energy basis.
- Forklifts and materials handling — LPG’s energy-per-kilogram advantage is why it competes with battery electric indoors.
- Applying emission factors — where a factor is published per kWh rather than per kilogram.
- Energy audits — LPG has to join the site total alongside gas and electricity, and site totals are in kWh.
A reportable figure depends on the combustion context and on whether well-to-tank emissions are in scope. Use the stationary combustion calculator, with the assumptions in the LPG combustion methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 13.70 kWh on the gross calorific value, or 12.76 kWh on the net. That is more energy per kilogram than diesel, petrol or coal — LPG is the most energy-dense of the common fuels by weight.
Roughly 644 kWh on the gross basis, or 600 kWh net. A 13 kg patio bottle holds about 178 kWh. For scale, a standard bottle carries something like a couple of months of a typical household’s electricity consumption.
Because it is a gas kept liquid under pressure, so its volume changes with temperature and fill level in a way a litre of diesel does not. Selling by volume would mean selling an unstable quantity, so bottles are sold in kilograms and bulk tanks are gauged by percentage fill.
Both — LPG is predominantly a mix of the two, and the proportions vary by supplier, market and season. More propane is used in winter because it performs better in cold weather. The two sit either side of the figure used here, so this is a reference blend rather than a specification for any particular delivery.
Multiply kilograms by 13.70 for gross, or 12.76 for net. The anchor worth remembering is fourteen — a kilogram of LPG is a little under fourteen kilowatt-hours.
More per kilogram, less per litre. LPG carries about 13.7 kWh per kilogram against diesel’s 12.7, but it is much less dense, so a litre of LPG holds considerably less energy than a litre of diesel. Which comparison matters depends on whether your constraint is weight or space.
Whichever your framework specifies, and say which you used. UK reporting and billing use gross; inventories compiled to IPCC guidance use net. The two are just under seven per cent apart for LPG.
About 73 kg on the gross basis, or 78 kg on the net — roughly a bottle and a half of the standard 47 kg size. This direction is the one needed when sizing bottled or bulk supply against a known heating demand.