LHV (LHV)
Also known as: Lower Heating Value · lower calorific value · net calorific value · NCV
Lower Heating Value (LHV) is the energy content of a fuel measured by complete combustion, excluding the heat released when water vapour in the exhaust condenses to liquid. It is the standard basis for pricing and comparing fuels — including biogas, CBG, CNG, and LPG — in India and international
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What is LHV?
Lower Heating Value (LHV), also called Net Calorific Value (NCV), is the energy released by complete combustion of a unit quantity of fuel measured under the assumption that water vapour in the combustion products remains as vapour and is not condensed to liquid. The condensation enthalpy of water (2.26 MJ/kg) is therefore excluded from LHV. By contrast, Higher Heating Value (HHV) or Gross Calorific Value (GCV) includes this condensation heat. LHV is the standard basis for fuel pricing, equipment sizing, and energy accounting in India and most international markets because practical combustion equipment — engines, turbines, boilers without flue-gas condensers — discharges water as vapour and never recovers the condensation enthalpy.
LHV values for fuels relevant to Indian energy markets:
- Pure methane (CH4): 50.0 MJ/kg, or 35.8 MJ/Nm3.
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG, 90% CH4): 47-49 MJ/kg, or 34-37 MJ/Nm3.
- Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG, 95% CH4): 49-50 MJ/kg, or 33-35 MJ/Nm3.
- Raw biogas (60% CH4): 18-22 MJ/Nm3 (significantly lower due to inert CO2 dilution).
- LPG: 46 MJ/kg, or 25-26 MJ/L.
- Diesel: 42-43 MJ/kg.
- Petrol: 43-44 MJ/kg.
- Indian coal (typical Grade D-E): 18-22 MJ/kg.
- Hydrogen: 120 MJ/kg (highest per kg of any fuel).
The HHV-LHV gap varies with hydrogen content of the fuel. Methane (high H content) has an 11% gap; coal (low H content) has 3-5%; pure carbon would have 0%. For natural gas and CBG, this means HHV is typically 38-40 MJ/Nm3 while LHV is 33-36 MJ/Nm3 — a difference that materially affects pricing if not specified.
Indian SATAT contracts and most CGD gas sales are denominated in LHV terms. PNGRB-approved tariffs reference NCV, and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) energy benchmarking uses LHV. The trade-off in selecting a basis matters operationally: a 10 TPD CBG plant selling 4,000 kg per day at LHV-based 60 INR per kg generates 2.4 lakh INR daily revenue, but if a buyer disputes whether the price is HHV or LHV the difference exceeds 27,000 INR per day. International gas trading (LNG contracts, EU green-gas certificates) often quotes in HHV, requiring careful conversion when Indian product enters export markets. Plant operators must specify and contractually fix the calorific basis from day one to avoid disputes downstream.
Common questions about LHV
Plain-English answers to what people most often ask.
What is the full form of LHV?
What is the difference between LHV and HHV?
Why does LHV matter for CBG pricing?
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