Energy Selection calculator

[Mike Wilson]

Take a look at this. Its a series of charts that allow you to compare which fuel to burn based upon the price of each individual fuel. Based upon this, it pays to burn wood (190/cord) only when oil is over 1.50 per gallon. Its interesting to compare.

http://energy.cas.psu.edu/EnergySelector/

-- Mike

 

[Corie]

For the $150 we paid per ton of coal, oil would have to be just a shade over a dollar a gallon for it to be cheaper.
AND pellets would have to be $110 a ton to be cheaper than coal. that's laughable at this point in the game

What's #2 cost these days?

 

[saichele]

Yeah, but look at the efficiencies (further down the page). 85% for NG, 60% for wood. Seems a little skewed.

Steve

 

[babalu87]

Always pays to burn wood when you're sitting on a 6 acre lot AND can get pallets to boot %-P

 

[Corie]

yeah i agree the efficiencies might be a little funny


but even if it's close, it still makes me happy I pushed the coal issue last year

 

[DavidV]

with natural gas at 18-19 bucks per million btu here I'm way ahead of the game.

 

[wg_bent]

My lockin for oil was 2.24/gallon this year. Given that my wood price was about 15.00/ cord (gas, oil, new bar and chain for saw) Wood is a no brainer. Last year I burned roughly 1000 gallons of oil for heat and hot water. If I assume that 3/4 is for heat...rough numbers here, my cost this year would be 750 * 2.24 = 1680. That pays for my Osburn 1800. So this year I roughly break even.

BUT...and there are a number of BUTs.

1. The house is a lot warmer than it would have been.
2. I'm happier that I'm doing somethign like splitting wood for exercise rather than sit on my arse.
3. my wife is happier that it's warm in the house.
4. The kids are getting into getting wood from the pile, and now help with getting wood.

5. I'm no longer burning as much fossil fuels.
- less dependence on foreign oil
- renewable
- less green house gas

I'm teaching my kids the value of hard work in order to keep our home comfortable

I think burning wood is great...I couldn't be happier...And, you all seem to be real nice folks to "hang with" in the internet.

 

[michael]

In the firewood versus electricity debate, firewood will win out everytime.

From looking at their chart, and valuing firewood at $150 a cord (which seems to be the national average), electricity would have to be 3.5 cents per kilowatt or less to recommend the use of electricity as heat. Where are electricity prices this low in the nation. Nowhere!