Energy & matched measurements
Compressed Air Cost per m³ Calculator
Calculate electricity-only cost per m³ and measured kWh per m³ from total compressor electricity and total delivered air volume for the same period.
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INPUT GROUP 01
Matched period totals
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Read the method and exampleYOUR CALCULATION
Measured electrical energy and total delivered air volume share one period and volume basis.
Entered electricity charge
Electricity cost per m³
Illustrative inputs loaded. Replace them with your own assumptions.
Compressed-air electricity cost per cubic meter
Energy intensity = measured kWh ÷ delivered m³
Electricity cost per m³ = rounded total electricity charge ÷ delivered m³
Total electricity charge is measured kWh × the entered energy rate, rounded once to cents. The per-volume result divides that rounded charge by delivered volume and displays up to six significant digits. CSV keeps the underlying numerical result.
Use total volume for the same measurement period
Enter total delivered air in m³, not a flow reading in CFM or m³/min. A constant 5 m³/min over 60 minutes delivers 300 m³. Use a measured cumulative volume or sum matching intervals when flow changes.
Electrical energy and air volume must cover the same period and system boundary. Keep pressure, temperature and actual or standard volume references compatible. CAGI specific power, often expressed in kW per 100 CFM, is a different quantity from this measured kWh per m³ result.
Why preserve the decimal places?
For 7 kWh and 1,000 m³ at an entered rate of 0.20 per kWh, total electricity cost is 1.40 and the unit cost is 0.0014 per m³. Keeping that precision matters when applying a small rate to a large volume. These are illustrative measurements and prices.
This is electricity energy cost only. Unentered demand charges, maintenance, treatment and ownership costs are outside the estimate. Zero delivered volume leaves both per-volume results unavailable.
Use the compressed-air leak cost calculator with a leak flow and matching energy intensity to examine associated leak cost. A modeled energy cost does not guarantee the electricity saving after a repair.
How the compressed air unit cost calculator works
Let E be measured compressor electricity in kWh, V be total delivered air in m³ over the same period, and r be the electricity rate per kWh. Specific energy is E ÷ V in kWh/m³. The volume input is a period total, not delivery flow in CFM or m³/min. Both measurements must use the same delivery boundary and matching pressure, temperature and actual or standard volume reference.
Total electricity charge is E × r rounded half-up to cents. Electricity cost per m³ is that rounded charge divided by V: rounded(E × r) ÷ V. The unit result is not rounded to cents; it retains small values such as 0.0014 per m³. Zero delivered volume makes both per-volume ratios unavailable even when electricity or the total charge is positive.
This is a measured electricity-only cost calculation, not an efficiency rating or equipment comparison under a test standard. Electricity for drying or filtration is included only when it falls within the chosen metering boundary. Maintenance, demand or fixed tariff charges and ownership costs are not added by this tool.
Worked example
Measured electricity of 10,000 kWh and total delivered volume of 100,000 m³ give 0.1 kWh/m³. At an energy rate of 0.20, the total charge is 2,000 and electricity cost is 0.02 per m³. For another measurement period, 500 kWh and 50,000 m³ at 0.14 per kWh give 0.01 kWh/m³, a charge of 70 and a unit cost of 0.0014 per m³. The 50,000 m³ is the total delivered volume, not a flow rate.
Sources and assumptions
The source material explains the underlying calculation or pricing structure. Entered prices, costs, schedules and scenario choices are your assumptions; this tool does not obtain supplier quotes or predict actual results.
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