Electric vs Oil vs Pellets

[UpStateNY]

Here is a list of electric costs per state. Some of these states are only 7.5 cents per Killowatt which is identical cost as Pellets at $300 per ton delivered. My fuel oil supplier is charging $2.05 .

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html

Here is the compare heat cost calculator

http://www.pelletheat.org/3/residential/compareFuel.cfm

 

[MCPO]

Here is a list of electric costs per state. Some of these states are only 7.5 cents per Killowatt which is identical cost as Pellets at $300 per ton delivered. My fuel oil supplier is charging $2.05 .

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html

Here is the compare heat cost calculator

http://www.pelletheat.org/3/residential/compareFuel.cfm

Some folks are lucky I guess.
I`m in western Ma. where a KWHR cost about $.18 (total delivered cost) and pellets are $315 a ton and oil is at just $1.87 a gal.
My pellet stove is in mothballs and my pellet supply is stored until the equation changes drastically.

 

[UpStateNY]

I hear you Gio. Same here 40 miles south of Albany, NY . Not sure what I am going to do next winter. I got 2 tons of pellets from last year that I purchased at $279 a ton delivered. My oil is a tad more expensive. I can't understand why Fuel Oil is so high around here. My oil guy is charging $2.05 but many of the others in the area are charging $2.30 and $2.35. Fuel oil is cheaper on the east side of the Hudson and its cheaper down toward the Westchester and NY City.

I like having the pellet stove as a secondary heat source. Sometimes those furnaces stop working. I like the pellet stove in the evening have the living room nice and warm.

The price is out of line at this point. Unless something changes I will probably have the pellet stove off for most of next season.

The wide range in electric prices across the country amazes me. If Gasoline was $2.00 in one state and the state next door charged $4.00 everyone would be crying foul.. For some reason the electric companies get away with it. Look at California at 15 cents a Kwh and next door is Utah at 8 cents Kwh which is almost half the price. Smells illegal.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I hear you Gio. Same here 40 miles south of Albany, NY . Not sure what I am going to do next winter. I got 2 tons of pellets from last year that I purchased at $279 a ton delivered. My oil is a tad more expensive. I can't understand why Fuel Oil is so high around here. My oil guy is charging $2.05 but many of the others in the area are charging $2.30 and $2.35. Fuel oil is cheaper on the east side of the Hudson and its cheaper down toward the Westchester and NY City.

I like having the pellet stove as a secondary heat source. Sometimes those furnaces stop working. I like the pellet stove in the evening have the living room nice and warm.

The price is out of line at this point. Unless something changes I will probably have the pellet stove off for most of next season.

The wide range in electric prices across the country amazes me. If Gasoline was $2.00 in one state and the state next door charged $4.00 everyone would be crying foul.. For some reason the electric companies get away with it. Look at California at 15 cents a Kwh and next door is Utah at 8 cents Kwh which is almost half the price. Smells illegal.

When you use that Comparison Calculator, the efficiency shown for the electricity is 100%, which is for a space heater. If you have a heat pump, look up its COP, which is related to its efficiency. A COP of 2.5 is 250% efficient; however, you have to factor in those really cold nights when the strip heaters cut in and drop the efficiency way down. They would be even less than 100% because of heat loss in the ducts if they are in unheated areas like mine. A combination of heat pump operation and strip heaters gives ???? efficiency. That's my problem trying to use the calculator. Heck, I just want it warm!

 

[imacman]

........My oil guy is charging $2.05 but many of the others in the area are charging $2.30 and $2.35. Fuel oil is cheaper on the east side of the Hudson and its cheaper down toward the Westchester and NY City. ......

Not exactly. My HHO supplier is charging 2.19. and a friend of mine lives in Westchester and he's paying more than me.

My suggestion is to see if CODOIL.com will deliver to you...you might be able to save some $....this is their prices for delivery to me as of 5/8:
Current Prices (per gallon)
as of 5/8/2009 10:30:00 AM

*100 - 149 gallons: $2.099
150 - 199 gallons: $1.899
200 - 299 gallons: $1.899
300 - 499 gallons: $1.869
500+ gallons: $1.849
*A delivery surcharge is applicable for deliveries less than 150 gallons.

 

[mullet]

I burn 4 tons a year for heat and that's all I heat with. $275.00 delivered = $1,100 per year for heat compared to 100 gallons a month for propane @ 3.65 per gallon = no way in hell.

 

[smoke show]

propane is $1.50/gal. here

 

[drizler]

Don't forget not to go crazy with absolutes using those calculators. Living here with some of the highest electric rates in the US and using slall electric space heating as opposed to higher temp settings with the pellet stove actually saved us money. The small use of high priced electric seriously lowered my pellet consumption by allowing the lowering of the temp in the unused part of the house all night when it is coldest. My electric bill never went up more than $10 running 2 space heaters znd 2 electric blankets 11PM to 8AM while pellet consumption dropped way down. 4 years ago I burned 6 tons of corn during a warm year, then 5 tons using a thermostat on an equally warm winter the next. The last 2 I used no more than 3.5 then 3 tons of not so great pellets and last winter was ugly cold up here. That expensive electric heat can actually save you money if you use it carefully.

 

[Stentor]

Don't forget not to go crazy with absolutes using those calculators. Living here with some of the highest electric rates in the US and using slall electric space heating as opposed to higher temp settings with the pellet stove actually saved us money. The small use of high priced electric seriously lowered my pellet consumption by allowing the lowering of the temp in the unused part of the house all night when it is coldest. My electric bill never went up more than $10 running 2 space heaters znd 2 electric blankets 11PM to 8AM while pellet consumption dropped way down. 4 years ago I burned 6 tons of corn during a warm year, then 5 tons using a thermostat on an equally warm winter the next. The last 2 I used no more than 3.5 then 3 tons of not so great pellets and last winter was ugly cold up here. That expensive electric heat can actually save you money if you use it carefully.

Great point about absolutes. I think I can balance pellet heat and a little electric heat to get a good trade off and not waste money. I know what rooms need to be heated and what rooms I don't use that much, so I can get the right use out of the pellets. Those calculators are interesting though.

 

[btuser]

Pellets in Southern NH never dipped below $269/ton this year. Maybe you could get a weekend special in April but that's the cheapest I saw them all year. I think they're way overpriced, considering everyone started buying stoves when pellets were selling for $150/ton.

 

[amick780]

Just had the propane tank filled last week @ $1.93/gallon. With efficiency loss (forced air furnace) I am probably breaking even with pellets vs propane. Although, I know that price will not stay there through the season. I also like the constant heat the pellet stove puts out. Plus I am addicted to pellets!!

 

[imacman]

Just had the propane tank filled last week @ $1.93/gallon. With efficiency loss (forced air furnace) I am probably breaking even with pellets vs propane......

Amick, what is the average price for the pellets you have?

 

[Panhandler]

Don't forget not to go crazy with absolutes using those calculators. Living here with some of the highest electric rates in the US and using slall electric space heating as opposed to higher temp settings with the pellet stove actually saved us money. The small use of high priced electric seriously lowered my pellet consumption by allowing the lowering of the temp in the unused part of the house all night when it is coldest. My electric bill never went up more than $10 running 2 space heaters znd 2 electric blankets 11PM to 8AM while pellet consumption dropped way down. 4 years ago I burned 6 tons of corn during a warm year, then 5 tons using a thermostat on an equally warm winter the next. The last 2 I used no more than 3.5 then 3 tons of not so great pellets and last winter was ugly cold up here. That expensive electric heat can actually save you money if you use it carefully.

Great point about absolutes. I think I can balance pellet heat and a little electric heat to get a good trade off and not waste money. I know what rooms need to be heated and what rooms I don't use that much, so I can get the right use out of the pellets. Those calculators are interesting though.

That is the key, balancing sources and areas. Electric rates here are 7.5 cents per kilowatt (going up 12% soon). Natural gas is $14.99 per MCF (no idea what that is per therm). I have a ventless gas fireplace, pellet stove and forced air gas furnace. Both kids away at college, home alone most of the time. Current weather (highs in the 60's, lows in 30's and 40's) using gas firplace. When colder pellet stove. Only use furnace when very, very, cold. This morning living room 58 degrees, doesn't matter as off to work at 5:30. Home in afternoon turn fireplace on for half to one hour. Like sleeping in cold. Doing more insulation each year.

 

[amick780]

Just had the propane tank filled last week @ $1.93/gallon. With efficiency loss (forced air furnace) I am probably breaking even with pellets vs propane......

Amick, what is the average price for the pellets you have?

Average $279/ton which by calculation puts me ahead of propane, but my furnace is a Rheem 2 Stage 95% efficient model. Brand new last year.

 

[Dr_Drum]

Amick, 95% efficient? What is it a fusion reactor. JK. Rheem is one of the best.
Mike -

 

[imacman]

Just had the propane tank filled last week @ $1.93/gallon. With efficiency loss (forced air furnace) I am probably breaking even with pellets vs propane......

Amick, what is the average price for the pellets you have?

Average $279/ton which by calculation puts me ahead of propane, but my furnace is a Rheem 2 Stage 95% efficient model. Brand new last year.

I plugged your numbers into the Pellet Fuels Institute fuel calculator, and even with your furnace at 95%, your pellets are still cheaper.

 

[amick780]

Just had the propane tank filled last week @ $1.93/gallon. With efficiency loss (forced air furnace) I am probably breaking even with pellets vs propane......

Amick, what is the average price for the pellets you have?

Average $279/ton which by calculation puts me ahead of propane, but my furnace is a Rheem 2 Stage 95% efficient model. Brand new last year.

I plugged your numbers into the Pellet Fuels Institute fuel calculator, and even with your furnace at 95%, your pellets are still cheaper.

Macman,
You are correct, as good of a guide as those calculators can be, I always seem to come out ahead using pellets. Even if propane was a bit less I would still use pellets. I suppose its the environmentally friendly thing to do. Even with a 95% efficient furnace I am sure I loose a good amount of efficiency through the ducting in the house. Plus if I just used propane I would have nothing to talk about here, and I would be bored @ work

 

[jamesdjs]

Here is a list of electric costs per state. Some of these states are only 7.5 cents per Killowatt which is identical cost as Pellets at $300 per ton delivered. My fuel oil supplier is charging $2.05 .

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html

Here is the compare heat cost calculator

http://www.pelletheat.org/3/residential/compareFuel.cfm

Some folks are lucky I guess.
I`m in western Ma. where a KWHR cost about $.18 (total delivered cost) and pellets are $315 a ton and oil is at just $1.87 a gal.
My pellet stove is in mothballs and my pellet supply is stored until the equation changes drastically.

I live in the Berkshires and when I priced oil today it was $2.570/gal
Where are you getting your oil?

 

[Havlat24]

One thing that goes unnoticed in your cost calculations, is the quality of heat you get from your pellet stove. You run your furnace to 75 and your pellet stove to 75, but you seem warmer with the pellet stove. (atleast in my opinion)

I have a hard time understanding the reasoning with people that have bought pellets and refuse to burn them until the prices change. You've already spent the money. Figuring out the breakeven point is fine and dandy, but when you've already spent the cash to purchase the fuel, your essentially paying twice. One advantage with pellets is you can purchase your heating seasons supply and not have to fight with the variable cost of heating oil/natural gas.


Natural gas is cheap in my neck of the woods, so much so that i would have been better off buying a fancy new natural gas furnace. When factoring in the install cost vs the cheaper natural gas cost, it makes no sense to burn pellets as there is no payback. When the economy settles down thing will go back to where they usually are.

 

[Fsappo]

My parent company currently has fuel oil at 2.39 per gallon. We are at $275 per ton average around Central NY. The unbiased heat calc I have shows:
$21.54 per million BTUs with Oil
$22.22 per million BTUs with Pellets at 75% efficiency
$17.54 Per million BTUs with pellets in a 95% gasification stove

If I ever end up with a pellet/corn burner in my own home (Natural gas) It will be with gasification. That 95% efficiency really makes playing with fuel cost calucaltors fun

 

[Swaybar]

I live on the coast, so the pellets also bring down the humidity in the house.

So I would need to factor in the costs of a dehumidifier as well if I did not have a stove. Very concerned about mold and mildew getting a foothold.