Energy Cost (Compressed Air) Calculator

Cost per 1000 CF from compressor efficiency and electric rate.

Compressor HP

Compressor rated CFM

Average load factor

Motor efficiency

Electricity rate ($/kWh)

Operating hours/year

Tab to move between fields

Annual energy cost ($)

$19,764.95

≈ 10 gaming PCs

Monthly energy cost ($)$1,647.08

Cost per 1000 CF ($)$0.37

Specific power (kW/100 CFM)20.27

Annual energy (kWh)197,649

Average power draw (kW)32.9

Full-load power (kW)40.5

How to Use This Calculator

Enter the compressor horsepower and motor efficiency percentage.
Set system operating pressure and the percentage of time at full load.
Input your electricity rate in $/kWh and annual hours of operation.
Review annual energy cost and cost per 1,000 CFM to benchmark efficiency.
Compare scenarios by adjusting pressure or duty cycle to find savings opportunities.

How the result changes with Compressor HP

Compressor HP: Nameplate brake horsepower of the compressor motor.
Compressor rated CFM: Full-load air output in cubic feet per minute.
Average load factor: Percentage of time the compressor is fully loaded. Typical: 60–80%.
Motor efficiency: Motor nameplate efficiency. Premium motors: 92–96%.
Electricity rate ($/kWh): Blended electricity cost per kilowatt-hour including demand charges.
Operating hours/year: Annual hours the compressor runs. 24/7 = 8,760; two shifts = 4,000.

Annual energy cost ($): Total yearly electricity cost to run the compressor.
Monthly energy cost ($): Average monthly electricity cost.
Cost per 1000 CF ($): Energy cost to produce 1,000 cubic feet of compressed air — key benchmarking metric.
Specific power (kW/100 CFM): Energy intensity of the compressor. Lower is more efficient. Good: 18–22 kW/100 CFM at 100 psig.
Annual energy (kWh): Total kilowatt-hours consumed per year.
Average power draw (kW): Average electrical draw considering load/unload cycling.
Full-load power (kW): Maximum electrical draw at full compressor load.

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Compressor HP = 50, Compressor rated CFM = 200, Average load factor = 75, Motor efficiency = 92 = 6 input(s) provided
Calculate Annual energy cost
Annual energy cost = annualKwh * electricRateKwh
19764.95 = $19,764.95
Calculate Monthly energy cost
Monthly energy cost = annualEnergyCost / 12
1647.08 = $1,647.08
Calculate Cost per 1000 CF
0.37 = $0.37