Do You Question This Study?

dave brode · Post by **dave brode** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 3:45 pm

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2012/1207/Ch ... -oil-2-526

I question the low cost of heating with elec. Am I wrong? I wonder if the elec producers had any influence in the study? I wonder what kilowatt cost was used?

Dave

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:39 pm

Yes that's ridiculous...

"The use of electric heat is on the rise, even in the frosty Northeast. Cost is a main draw, although some homeowners complain that electric heat isn’t as efficient as other fuels. Nationally, about a third of US homes rely on electricity as their primary heating source."

isn't as efficient?? really?? Maybe not cost efficient!!

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:42 pm

I think someone thumped them head side with a 2 by 4. Certainly where I live in Maine those numbers are way off...WAY.

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:43 pm

Using the fuel calculator at current reasonable prices, $4 for oil and getting to their total oil cost, electric would have to be $0.06 per kW to hit their $1315 cost in the article. Our electric rates are double that!

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 4:45 pm

I'm sure they aren't counting "supply charge" which is just as much or more the cost of per kilowatt..

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 5:14 pm

Total bill divided by number of KW used in NEPA comes to 17+ cents. Per my calculations heating by electricity in my area is the most costly, even more than #2~~~

Rev. Larry
New Beginning Church
Ashland Pa.

Post by **Richard S.** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 5:15 pm

Lightning wrote:I'm sure they aren't counting "supply charge" which is just as much or more the cost of per kilowatt..

It's certainly not that much here, I think it's like 3 cents added to 8 cents.

Something is seriously flawed, they must of used the wholesale cost for electric, the industrial rates or some kind of average rate across all sectors.

Email sent:

Something is seriously flawed with your article on energy prices, there is no way electric is anywhere near the cost of natural gas. May I ask what you used for references?

titleist1 · Post by **titleist1** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 5:36 pm

Using data from the website they reference, the 2012 average cost per KW in New England and NJ, NY & PA is 15.59 cents.

#2 would have to be around $5 /gal in a 75% efficient unit to cost more than electric.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 5:54 pm

The only way electricity could be that inexpensive is to look at a home which has a heat pump and is located in a place where it seldom gets below about 32 degrees F. outside.

I just estimated that if my home was still all electric my electric bill for this month would be in the neighborhood of $740.

Post by **Richard S.** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 5:56 pm

lsayre wrote:The only way electricity could be that inexpensive is to look at a home which has a heat pump and is located in a place where it seldom gets below about 32 degrees F. outside.

Didn't think of that, that makes sense too.

Post by **Richard S.** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 6:33 pm

Got response and awating further clarification however it appears from the URL that article is from 2012. It's still wrong but very dated.

michaelanthony · Post by **michaelanthony** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 6:46 pm

I wouldn't trust any article that states...."customers say electricity isn't as efficient as other heating fuels"....I understand electricity is 100% efficient.

david78 · Post by **david78** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 6:56 pm

Using the calculator on this site and the fuels available in my area and local prices, the cost per million BTU comes out like this:
Wood: $6.49
Coal: $15.62
Wood pellets: $18.94
Electric: $27.26
Fuel oil: $33.93
Propane: $39.42

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 7:01 pm

I've found that with electricity the "delivered" cost is roughly double (or more) the officially listed cost per KWH.

Where I live the cost per KWH as listed on my monthly bill is currently a tad less than $0.06 per KWH, but I'm paying $0.133 per "delivered" KWH.

Divide the bill as paid by the KWH's consumed for the month to reveal the real price you are paying.

Say you used 600 KWH, and the cost to you was $80.

$80/600KWH = $0.133 per KWH on a delivered basis.

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Jan. 27, 2014 7:02 pm

Richard S. wrote:It's certainly not that much here, I think it's like 3 cents added to 8 cents.

At least half and sometimes even more than half of my total bill is supply charge...