What does a tonne of steam
really cost you?
Works for coal, lignite, pet coke, briquettes, husk, wood, furnace oil, LDO, diesel, LPG and PNG. Enter the price and unit you're billed in.
Advanced: steam pressure, lab GCV, efficiency
Leave blank to use typical values for your fuel: GCV 5,000 kcal/kg, efficiency 72%.
Fuel cost only, using typical values. Ash, labour and upkeep usually favour pellets further. We confirm with a free* lab test of your real fuel. *Sample transport extra.
Questions before you trust the number
Why compare cost per tonne of steam and not price per kg?
Fuels carry different heat and burn at different efficiencies. Coal at ₹11/kg and pellets at ₹12/kg aren't comparable until you ask how many kg each needs to make one tonne of steam. That's the number that ends up on your monthly bill.
What is the break-even pellet price?
It's the delivered pellet price (ex-GST) at which pellets cost exactly the same as your current fuel for the same steam. Any quote below it saves you money on fuel alone, before counting lower ash and labour.
My fuel is billed per tonne / per kL / per cylinder / per MMBtu. Which unit do I pick?
Pick the exact unit on your bill from the price-unit dropdown, and the matching unit for usage. The calculator converts everything internally, including 19 kg and 47.5 kg LPG cylinders and PNG in SCM or MMBtu.
I run a thermic fluid heater or a burner, not a steam boiler. Is this still useful?
Yes for comparing fuels. The 'steam' figure becomes 'equivalent heat', but the break-even pellet price and the monthly cost difference still hold, because they compare the same useful heat.
What efficiency should I enter for my boiler?
If you don't know it, leave it blank. We use typical values: about 70–75% for coal and briquettes on grates, 85–88% for oil and gas. An old boiler or one with poor air settings can be 5–10 points lower. Your boiler OEM or service engineer can give the real figure.
Should I enter the GCV my supplier quotes?
Only if it's 'as received' from a lab report. Many suppliers quote GCV on a dry basis, which can be 10–15% higher than what actually burns. If unsure, leave it blank or send us a sample to test free*.
Does the result include GST?
Enter prices ex-GST if you claim input credit on the fuel; that's the fair comparison. If you can't claim credit (e.g. diesel or PNG for some units), enter the full price you pay.
Why is my real fuel consumption higher than the calculator shows?
Usually wet fuel, poor combustion air settings, scale on boiler tubes, steam leaks or no condensate return. The calculator assumes the boiler runs at its typical efficiency. A gap of 10–20% is common; finding it often saves more than changing fuel.
Does the calculator count ash disposal and labour?
No, it compares fuel cost only. Coal, husk and briquettes usually add ₹100–400 per tonne of steam in ash handling, labour and upkeep. Wood pellets add much less, so the real gap is usually better than shown.
What changes in monsoon?
If your fuel picks up moisture, its heat drops: going from 8% to 15% moisture needs about 10% more fuel for the same steam. Try lowering your lab GCV in Advanced to see the effect.
Get this with your real fuel.
We lab-test your current fuel and send a one-page steam-cost report, plus a quote for the right pellet grade.
*Test free. Transport of the sample extra.