The amount of fuel required to produce 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity depends on the type of fuel and the efficiency of the power plant. Here are some approximate fuel requirements for different technologies:
- Natural gas power plant - Requires approximately 10,000 cubic feet (cf) of natural gas to produce 1 MWh of electricity. At 35-45% efficiency.
- Coal power plant - Requires around 147-170 kg of coal to produce 1 MWh. Typical efficiency of 33-40%.
- Oil power plant - Needs about 6.3-7 barrels, 410-450 kg of crude oil for 1 MWh generation. At 30-37% efficiency.
- Biomass power plant - Requires 1,000-1,500 kg of biomass material for each MWh. 30% efficiency.
- Nuclear power - Uranium fuel consumption is very low, only 4-6 grams per MWh generated. But very high capital costs.
- Hydroelectric dam - No fuel required, generation based on water flow and dam height.
- Wind turbines - No fuel input, wind kinetic energy is transformed to electricity.
- Solar PV - Also no fuel cost, converts sunlight directly to electricity.
So in summary, natural gas has the lowest MWh fuel input, followed by coal and oil. Non-fuel renewables like hydro, wind and solar have minimal operational costs for continuous generation.