So you are selling your wood scrap for mulch, animal bedding or giving it to the community? Before making the decision to sell your wood waste in the marketplace, it is worthwhile to compare the BTU (or heat content) dollar price of your wood with the BTU price of your gas or oil. We have devised a calculator to make a comparison tailored to your own fuel costs and wood types.

Below are two separate calculators for gas or oil. Simply fill in the information on your cost of fuel, wood moisture content, and the price per ton received for the wood you sell:

 

GAS USERS CALCULATE THE VALUE OF YOUR WOOD


a) Enter Price you pay for a Therm of Gas : $
b) Enter your Wood's Moisture Content % : $ %
c) Enter per Ton Price you receive for Wood Residue Sold : $


SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Your Cost of Mbtu of Gas : $

Cost per Mbtu for each Ton of Wood Sold

: $
Comparison of Cost per MBtu of Wood to Cost per Mbtu of (Gas)


Gas is $  more than Wood

Your Cost per Mbtu of Gas-Calcluation*

Cost per Mbtu of Gas Input * (with moisture %) : $

Cost per Mbtu of Gas * (85% boiler efficiency)

: $



Your Cost per Mbtu of a Ton of Wood-Calculation**


a) Your wood's Mbtu input **

Your Mbtu per ton of Wood Input** (with moisture %)

:
b) Your wood's Mbtu Output per ton of wood ** (70% boiler efficiency) :

Cost per Mbtu of a Ton of Wood (Price per Ton Sold/Your wood's Mbtu Value)

:

Comparison of Cost per Mbtu of Wood to Cost per Mbtu of (Gas)

Gas is $ more than Wood



OIL USERS CALCULATE THE VALUE OF YOUR WOOD


a) Enter Price you pay for a Gallon of Oil : $
b) Enter your Wood's Moisture Content % : %
c) Enter Price per Ton you receive for Wood Residue Sold : $

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Your Cost per Mbtu of Oil : $
Cost per Mbtu for each Ton of Wood Sold : $

Comparison
Cost per Mbtu of Oil is $ more than an Mbtu of Wood!

Your Cost per Mbtu of Oil-Calculation ***

Your Cost per Mbtu of Oil : $

Your Cost per Mbtu of a Ton of Wood-Calculation**

a) Your Wood's Mbtu Input **

Your Mbtu per ton of Wood Input** (with moisture %)

:
b) Your Wood’s Mbtu Output per ton of wood ** (70% boiler efficiency) :

Cost per Mbtu of a Ton of Wood (Price per Ton Sold/Your Wood's Mbtu Output)

:
Comparison
Cost per Mbtu of Oil is $ more than an Mbtu of Wood!

 


The calculations factor in both moisture content of the wood as well as combustion system efficiency to arrive at the fuel's net MBTU heating value.
* Assumptions: 1 therm=100,000 BTU
Commercial Gas Boiler Efficiency at 85%
**Assumptions: Bone Dry Wood = 8500 BTU/lb, therefore
A Ton of Bone Dry Wood = 17 million BTU
Commercial Boiler Efficiency at 70%
***Assumptions: 1 gallon of oil=135,000 BTU input with
Commercial Oil Burner Efficiency at 74%= 100,000 btu per gallon output