Article in Bangor News

[Peterfield]

Residents of much of the Northeast, dreading a repeat of last year’s historically snowy and cold winter, will get a break this time around, at least initially, meteorologists at AccuWeather.com said Wednesday.

Frigid temperatures that made February 2015 the second-coldest February on record for the region will be replaced this winter by milder weather largely due to one of the strongest El Nino weather pattern phenomena in the last 50 years, the weather watchers said.

“After the winter of 2014-2015 brought brutal cold to the northeastern United States, this season is set to be milder overall, but particularly during the early part of the season,” AccuWeather forecaster Paul Pastelok said.

Let's review - oil prices lower, check; propane prices lower, check; natural gas prices lower, check; pellet prices higher, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

[DOLLARBILL]

Id guess Pellet sales will be down this year

 

[Melissa220]

I still plan to purchase and store my usual 4 ton. If I have leftovers, then I'm that far ahead of the game for next year.

 

[Peterfield]

I still plan to purchase and store my usual 4 ton. If I have leftovers, then I'm that far ahead of the game for next year.

I'm still going to use the pellet stove but I just don't need to get my entire winter's supply at one time. Ton here, ton there will be fine. There is no pellet shortage this year and with milder temperatures and cheap alternatives, there's no doomsday scenario to rush to buy 20 tons.

 

[rowerwet]

Depending on where you live pellets might still be a deal. Guy I work with lives in VT, oil is still more than pellets there.

 

[Cory S]

Depending on where you live pellets might still be a deal. Guy I work with lives in VT, oil is still more than pellets there.

Oil in VT is about $2.21/gallon... Per million BTU, heating oil is $21.65, wood pellets ($250/ton) is $22.75. That's awful close is cost.

 

[Bigjim13]

Oil in VT is about $2.21/gallon... Per million BTU, heating oil is $21.65, wood pellets ($250/ton) is $22.75. That's awful close is cost.

I can find it in VT near me around 1.95-2.05. Looking hard at a new furnace and oil this winter

 

[Melissa220]

It's a hard guessing game. Who's to say that once the cold hits, oil prices won't jump?

 

[Peterfield]

There is a serious glut of oil on the market and there are few factors that lends to the notion that oil prices stay low this winter. One, the Saudi's are pumping like crazy to try to maintain market share and secondarily, to keep prices low to discourage U.S. production of oil, which has worked to an extent. The second factor is that Iran is poised to reenter the oil market once the embargo is lifted and that adds millions of barrels more to the mix. Third, the collapse of the Chinese economy has seriously lowered their consumption of oil, leading to a glut of oil that adds to the downward pressure of prices.

There is an even larger glut of propane due to some of the above and other factors, leading to prices under a $1.00 a gallon in parts of the U.S. I will still be buying pellets at some point but with prices dropping for oils, propane and natural gas and plentiful supplies of these commodities and pellets as well, there is no reason this year for panic buying. The long-range mild winter forecast is just icing on the cake.

 

[bogieb]

m

Oil in VT is about $2.21/gallon... Per million BTU, heating oil is $21.65, wood pellets ($250/ton) is $22.75. That's awful close is cost.

Guess it depends on the calculator. Using those prices, I get $21.65 for pellets and $22.76 for oil. Both left at the default 70% efficiency.

Hey, all I know is that propane is so inefficient (even if y boiler wasn't from 1980), that I am saving tons of money already using pellets this year at the price of $2.60/gal (it's at $35.58 - even at 80% efficiency, which is what the calculator defaults to).

http://nepacrossroads.com/fuel-comparison-calculator.php

 

[bogieb]

Residents of much of the Northeast, dreading a repeat of last year’s historically snowy and cold winter, will get a break this time around, at least initially, meteorologists at AccuWeather.com said Wednesday.

“After the winter of 2014-2015 brought brutal cold to the northeastern United States, this season is set to be milder overall, but particularly during the early part of the season,” AccuWeather forecaster Paul Pastelok said..

Because my weather man is so spot on for a 2-day forecast

 

[bogieb]

There is an even larger glut of propane due to some of the above and other factors, leading to prices under a $1.00 a gallon in parts of the U.S.

Hey, all I know is that propane is so inefficient (even if y boiler wasn't from 1980), that I am saving tons of money already using pellets this year at the price of $2.60/gal (it's at $35.58 - even at 80% efficiency, which is what the calculator defaults to).

http://nepacrossroads.com/fuel-comparison-calculator.php

Oh look, my average price of $2.60/gal for propane is out of date. After looking up the latest figures, updated 10/5/15 (https://www.nh.gov/oep/energy/energy-nh/fuel-prices/) , we are at an average of $2.71/gal. and guaranteed that I will have to pay more than that from my supplier.

 

[Peterfield]

I meant to add that the Northeast isn't benefiting as much from these gluts as other parts of the country. The energy cartel here rivals OPEC.

 

[killie11]

I bought a ton of Crabbe yesterday, we shall see how they do.

For me in central main oil is at 2.01G and Propane is at 1.90