Units and Abbreviations
The CSS Factsheets use a wide variety of data sources from around the world. We usually present data in the same units as in the source documents, but we strive to adhere to SI notation for units and order of magnitude prefixes. A common point of confusion occurs in mass units, between the metric ton (or tonne = 1,000 kg) and the short ton (2,000 lb). In the CSS Factsheets, we use the abbreviation ‘t’ for metric ton (Mt for million metric tons) and ‘ton’ for short ton.
Unit prefixes
m = milli = 10-3
k = kilo = 103
M = million = 106
B = billion = 109
G = giga = 109
T = trillion = 1012
P = peta = 1015
E = exa = 1018
Units
W = watt
Btu = 1,055 J
Wh = watthour = 3,600 J
J = joule
quad = 1015 Btu
g = gram
lb = pound (lbs=pounds)
t = metric ton = 2,204.6 lb
ton = short ton = 907.2 kg
ft = foot
m = meter = 3.28 ft
mi = mile = 1.61 km
ac = acre
ha = hectare = 2.47 acre
ft2= square foot
mi2 = square mile
bbl = barrel = 42 U.S. gal
ft3 = cf = cubic feet
gal = gallon (gals=gallons)
Abbreviations
Btu = British thermal unit
CAFE = corporate average fuel economy
CH4 = methane
CO2 = carbon dioxide
CWS = community water system
FIT = feed-in tariff
GDP = gross domestic product
GHG = greenhouse gas
GWP = global warming potential
HVAC = heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
IPCC = Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IRA = Inflation Reduction Act
LCOE = levelized cost of energy
MSA = metropolitan statistical area
MSW = municipal solid waste
NG = natural gas
NH4 = ammonia
NOx = nitrogen oxides
PFAS = per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
POTW = publicly owned treatment works
PTC = production tax credit
RCRA = Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act
REC = renewable energy certificate
rem = Roentgen equivalent man (radiation dose)
SO2 = sulfur dioxide
UN = United Nations
VMT = vehicle miles traveled
WEEE = waste electrical and electronic equipment