This "calculator" can be used to compare residential heating fuel prices and costs.

To use this calculator, enter information into the yellow-colored cells as necessary. The information in the green cells is calculated for you. Scroll down and to the right to see all information on this page. Detailed instructions are provided in the Instructions (click on tab at bottom of your screen). Contact local suppliers for most accurate prices. This calculator will not provide an estimate of the cost to heat your home. Fuel Fuel Price Price Per Fuel Heat Per Million Unit Content Per Btu (dollars) Unit (Btu) (dollars) 138,690 $28.72 3.98 0.119 3,412 $34.83

Fuel Type Fuel Oil (#2) Electricity

Fuel Unit Gallon

KiloWatt-hour

Natural Gas 1

Therm

$0.74

100,000

$7.38

Propane Wood 3 Pellets Corn (kernels) 3 Kerosene Coal (Anthracite) NOTES:

Gallon Cord Ton Ton Gallon Ton

$2.41 $200.00 $250.00 $200.00 $4.37 $200.00

91,333 22,000,000 16,500,000 14,000,000 135,000 25,000,000

$26.40 $9.09 $15.15 $14.29 $32.37 $8.00

1 Natural gas is typically sold to residential customers in units of "therms," but may be sold in units of hundreds of cubic feet (ccf). 2 One therm = 100,000 Btu, and is equivalent to about 97.752 cubic feet (or 0.978 ccf), when there are 1,023 Btu/cf.

To convert prices in $/Mcf (1,000 cubic feet) to $/therm, divide the $/Mcf price price by 10.23 .
3 The heat content for a cord of wood varies by tree species and is greatly affected by moisture content; 20 million Btu per cord is a rough approximation. The heat content of a unit (ton or bushel) of corn can also vary widely; see reference for Corn Burning Stoves in Efficiency Info tab/worksheet. Wood and corn prices can vary substantially depending on type of wood and level of retail service. 4 For definitions of Efficiency Ratings and referrals to where they can be obtained, click on the EFFICIENCY INFO tab below.

Some types of heaters do not have efficiency ratings; the ratings in the yellow cells are comparable estimates for new appliances with basic features. 5 The default values are the approximate minimum efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department Energy in effect when this calculator was last updated. Standards vary by type of heating appliance. Consult DOE for standards; see links in Efficiency Info worksheet below. Estimated ratings are provided for heating equipment for which there are no DOE standards. 6 Air-Source Heat Pump Ratings: The actual heating efficiency and seasonal performance of a "conventional" air-source heat pump may vary significantly from its rated heating season performance factor (HSPF). Below is a procedure for determining an adjusted HSPF for your location for an air-source heat pump that uses only electric resistance heating as the auxillary heat source . There are so-called "dual-fuel" or "hybrid" heat pump systems that are basically a heat pump integrated with a forced-air combustion appliance that uses natural gas, fuel oil, or propane. In general, these systems use the heat pump for heating until outside temperatures reach the low 40's/high 30's (F), then switch to the combustion appliance for heating. The adjustment below does not apply to those types of hybrid heat pump/combustion appliance heating systems. See the Technical Note for Air Source Heat Pumps in the EFFICIENCY INFO tab below for details on how the adjusted HSPF is calculated.

Adjust Air-Source Heat Pump HSPF rating for Your Location

If the rated HSPF is less than 8.5, type it here------------------> If the rated HSPF is 8.5 or greater type it here -----------------> Then look in the table below to find the Adjusted HSPF for the city nearest you, and use the adjusted HSPF in the calculator.

8.2 9.0

State AL

AK

AR

CA

CO

Adjusted HSPF when rated HSPF is: City < 8.5 = or > 8.5 Huntsville 7.3 7.8 Mobile 8.4 9.1 Montgomery 8.0 8.7 Anchorage 5.0 5.1 Juneau or Valdez 6.1 6.4 Sitka 7.4 7.9 Fayetteville 6.6 7.0 Little Rock 7.4 7.9 Texarkana 7.8 8.4 Arcata/Eureka 8.6 9.4 Barstow/Daggett and Fresno 8.6 9.4 Los Angeles 10.4 11.5 Mount Shasta 7.4 7.9 Sacramento 8.8 9.5 San Francisco 9.6 10.5 Alamosa 4.9 5.0 Denver 5.7 6.0

ASHRAE Design Temps 20 30 27 -9 7 21 13 21 25 32 32 45 21 33 39 -11 3

Grand Junction Limon Trinidad

CT

Bridgeport Hartford Windsor Locks

DC DE FL

R.R. Ntl Airport Dover (AFB) Wilmington Jacksonville and Pensacola Miami Orlando Tallahassee Tampa

6.1 5.6 6.0 6.5 6.0 6.1 7.3 7.1 6.7 8.6 11.2 10.0 8.2 9.7 7.8 7.6 8.3 13.4 14.3 13.0 6.2 5.1 5.5

6.4 5.9 6.3 6.9 6.3 6.5 7.8 7.6 7.1 9.4 12.4 11.0 8.8 10.6 8.4 8.2 9.0 14.9 16.0 14.5 6.6 5.3 5.7

7 1 6 12 6 8 20 18 14 32 50 42 28 40 25 23 29 63 68 61 9 -6 -1

GA

Athens Atlanta Savannah

HI

Hilo and Honolulu Kaneohe Molokai

ID IL

Boise Idaho Falls Chicago (O'Hare Airport)

Instructions and Guidance

(Scroll down to see all information.) Overview This calculator allows you to compare fuel prices on the basis of dollars per millions of Btu of the fuel and the "cost" of the fuel based on the efficiency of the heating system. Type into the yellow-colored cells the prices of fuels you want to compare and the efficiency rating for the type of heating system you have or are considering buying. The calculated prices and costs are presented in the green-colored cells. Default values are presented for initial comparison. This calculator was developed to assist in the comparison of fuels and heating system types and the effect of heating system efficiency on the cost of heating fuels. There are numerous factors that are important when deciding on the type of heating system to purchase besides the price of fuels at a specific point in time and system efficiency ratings. Below are explanations for the items in the columns. Fuel Unit This is the physical unit by which the fuel is normally sold. Price Per Unit The Prices per Unit that are already in the yellow cells are the most current average national prices available as of the date indicated at the upper left corner of the calculator and are for examples only. Links to price data sources are at the right and also in the ENERGY PRICES tab below. For electricity prices, which are normally expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), type in the decimal equivelant; for example 10 cents per kWh = 0.10 dollars per kWh. Your local fuel prices can and will vary substantially from the national average. For the greatest accuracy, you should use local prices from a recent bill or local retailers/providers. Use the total delivered price including taxes. For example, divide your total bill by the total units (gallons, kWh, therms, etc) consumed or delivered during the period of the bill. Fuel Heat Content Fuel Heat Content per Unit is the number of British Thermal Units (Btu) of heat contained in a single unit of the fuel. Click on the HEAT CONTENT tab for more information on fuel heat contents. Price per Million Btu The Calculator calculates the price in dollars per million Btu based on the price per unit and fuel heat content per unit. Heating Appliance Type

This is the type of heating appliance or system that you have or considering buying. Furnace means a forced-air, central heating system with a furnace that heats air that is distributed in ducts and includes a fan or blower to move heated air through duct system. Boiler is a hydronic central heating system with a boiler that heats water (or produces steam) and that uses pipes and radiators for heat distribution. Heater/stove is a stand-alone heating appliance without heat distribution ducts or pipes normally used to heat a single room. Air-Source heat pumps are central heating systems that remove latent heat from the outside air and use a fan and duct work to distribute the heat. This Calculator applies specifically to air-source heat pumps that use only electric resistance heat as the auxillary heat source. Geothermal heat pumps are types of heat pumps that use heat from the earth or water in the ground, ponds, lakes etc. Heat pumps also provide cooling in the summer. Consult with local heating and cooling contractors regarding heating (and cooling) system options. Type of Efficiency Rating Central heating systems (gas and oil fired furnaces and boilers and heat pumps) are rated on the efficiency by which they convert energy/fuels to useful heat. There are different ratings used depending on the type of heating appliance. There are definitions and more detail on the ratings in the EFFICIENCY INFO tab at the bottom of the Calculator. Because there are no efficiency ratings for electric resistance heating systems (such as electric baseboard, stand-alone room heaters, radiant heaters, etc), or for kerosene, wood, pellet, corn and coal burning heaters, estimated ratings are provided.

Efficiency Rating or Estimate This is the actual, adjusted or estimated efficiency rating for the heating appliance. The default ratings are the minimum allowable efficiencies as required by law at the time when this Calculator was last updated. Some types of heating appliances are not subject to minimum efficiency standards, and for those types of appliances an estimate default efficiency is provided. The rated HSPF of an air-source heat pump should be adjusted to account for the effects of climate on the operating performance of the system. See footnote 5 of the calculator and the procedure for obtaining an adjusted air-source HSPF. If you want to change the rating, type in the rating you obtain into the yellow-colored cells. For example, if the AFUE for a specific model of a natural gas-fired boiler is 90, type 90 into the yellow-colored cell for that fuel and appliance type. Do not type in 0.90 Approx. Efficiency (%) This is the approximate system efficiency expressed as a percentage and is calculated. Cost Per Million Btu This is the cost of the fuel in dollars per million Btu as determined by the price of fuel and the efficiency of the heating appliance.

For more information on this calculator, contact: InfoCtr@eia.gov

Residential Fuel/Energy Price Links

Click on the links in column E to EIA website pages and to other non-EIA price data for residential heating fuel prices. Contact local suppliers in your area for more accurate price information. Fuel/Energy Type Price Type/Periodicity Retail, Weekly Fuel Oil (# 2 Distillate) Retail, Monthly average Spot Prices, Daily Futures, Daily for 4 contracts Forecast, Retail, Monthly avg, ~ 2 years Forecast, Retail, Annual avg 20 to 25 yrs Electricity Retail, Monthly average Retail, Monthly average Retail, Average for calendar year Retail, Annual average Forecast, Retail, Monthly avg, ~ 2 years Forecast, Retail, Annual avg 20 to 25 yrs Geographic Coverage National, regional & selected states National, regional & selected states NY Harbor NYMEX National and regional National and regional National Regional and state Regional and state State National and regional National and regional

Natural Gas

Retail, Monthly and Annual National Retail, Monthly and Annual State Spot & Futures, Daily for one week Henry Hub, NY, and Chicago Spot: HH Hub, & Futures, Daily for 4 contracts Henry Hub and NYMEX Forecast, Retail, Monthly avg, ~ 2 years National and regional Forecast, Retail, Annual avg 20 to 25 yrs National and regional Retail, Weekly Retail, Monthly average Spot Prices, Daily Retail, Monthly Forecast, Retail, Annual avg 20 to 25 yrs Retail, Monthly Retail, Monthly Retail, Weekly NA NA NA National, regional & selected states National, regional & selected states Mont Belvieu, TX National and regional National and regional National, regional & selected states National and regional NY State NA NA NA NA

Propane

Kerosene

Wood Pellets Coal

Corn (number 2) NA

esidential heating fuel prices. Periodicity of publication Weekly, Oct to Mar Weekly, Oct to Mar Weekly Weekly Monthly Annual Monthly Monthly Monthly Annual Monthly Annual Monthly Monthly Weekly Weekly Monthly Annual Weekly, Oct to Mar Oct. to Mar. Weekly Monthly Annual Monthly Monthly Weekly NA NA NA NA Links to data (click on link)

Link Notes http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_dcus_nus_w.htm . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_dcus_nus_m.htm . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_spt_s1_d.htm . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_fut_s1_d.htm . http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/data.cfm?type=tables See Table 2 for national averages. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/tables_ref.cfm See Regional Energy Consumption and Prices by Sector Tables 11-20 http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/#prices See Table 9.8 http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/index.cfm See Table 5.6.A http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/index.cfm See Table 5.6.B http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/state/avgprice_annual.xls . http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/data.cfm?type=tables See Table 7.C for national and regional averages. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/tables_ref.cfm See Regional Energy Consumption and Prices by Sector Tables 11-20 http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/#prices See Table 9.10 http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_sum_a_EPG0_PRS_DMcf_m.htm . http://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/weekly/#tabs-prices-2 . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_fut_s1_d.htm . http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/data.cfm?type=tables See Table 5.B for national and regional averages. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/tables_ref.cfm See Regional Energy Consumption and Prices by Sector Tables 11-20 http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_a_EPLLPA_PRS_dpgal_w.htm . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_a_EPLLPA_PRS_dpgal_m.htm . http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_spt_s1_d.htm . http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/#prices See Table 9.7. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/tables_ref.cfm See Regional Energy Consumption and Prices by Sector Tables 11-20 http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_refoth_a_EPPK_PTG_dpgal_m.htm . http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/#prices See Table 9.7. http://www.nyserda.org/Energy_Information/nyeph.asp Prices of New York only. Contact local suppliers. Contact local suppliers. Contact local suppliers. Contact local suppliers.

HEAT CONTENT
For information on the content of different fuels, click on the links below. For petroleum products (heating oil, propane, kerosene): http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec13_1.pdf Note that there are 42 U.S. gallons in a barrel. For natural gas: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec13_4.pdf For electricity: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec13_6.pdf For coal: See Anthracite, Bituminous, Lignite, and Subbituminous in Glossary at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/index.html Average annual coal heat contents by consuming sectors: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec13_5.pdf Wood, Pellet, Corn (kernel) see links in Efficiency Info sheet/tab

LINKS TO OTHER CONVERSION FACTORS

Metric conversion factors, prefixes, and other conversion factors http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/#appendices

Definitions for Appliance Efficiency Ratings

AFUE, Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, is the measure of the seasonal or annual efficiency of a gas or oil furnace or boiler. It takes into account the cyclic on/off operation and associated energy losses of the heating unit as it responds to changes in th which in turn is affected by changes in weather and occupant controls. The higher the AFUE, the higher the efficiency.

HSPF, Heating Season Performance Factor, is the measure of the seasonal efficiency of an air-source heat pump in heating m It takes into account the variations in temperature that can occur within a season and is the average number of Btu of heat delivered for every watt-hour of electricity used by the heat pump over a heating season. The higher the HSPF, the higher the e Note: Air-Source Heat Pumps are also rated on their cooling efficiency in terms of SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). T cannot be used in this spreadsheet to estimate heating costs.

COP, Coefficient of Performance, is a measure of the energy efficiency of geothermal heat pumps in heating mode, and is the the average heating capacity to the amount of electrical energy input. The higher the COP, the higher the efficiency. Note: Geothermal Heat Pumps are also rated on their cooling efficiency in terms of EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio). The EER ra cannot be used in this spreadsheet to estimate heating costs. Estimated, because no official or standardized testing and rating system in place for measuring heating efficiency.

Technical Note: Air-Source Heat Pumps With Electric Resistance Auxillary Heat

The actual heating efficiency and seasonal performance of an air-source heat pump that uses electric resistance heating as the source may vary significantly from the rating it receives when tested under the standard procedures and conditions that manufa determine heat pump efficiency. For a detailed discussion of this issue, see the article: "Climate Impacts on Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) for Air Sourc Fairy, et al, ASHRAE Transactions , American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Atlanta, G http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/fsec-pf-413-04/ The method in the form of the regression equations presented in that paper is used in this "calculator" for calculating an adjuste for "conventional" air-source heat pumps - those that use only electric resistance heating as the auxillary heat source. This me to provide a rough approximation of the actual HSPF that a conventional air-source heat pump will experience in different locati

Wood, Pellet, Corn, and Coal Burning Systems

There are no existing U.S. standards for the heating efficiency of solid-fuel combustion appliances. The U.S. Environmental Pro sets standards for emissions from wood burning appliances. While these emissions standards do not directly correspond to the standards set by the U.S. Dept. of Energy for heating equipment using electricity, heating oil, natural gas, and propane, the EPA the efficiency of heating equipment that meets the emissions standards in the List of Certified Wood Stoves, at: http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/publications/monitoring/caa/woodstoves/certifiedwood.pdf The default efficiencies used in this Calculator for wood, pellet, and corn are the lowest "efficiencies" listed in that document, as Catalytic Wood Stove = 72%; Pellet Stove = 78%. Pellet stove efficiency is assumed for corn kernel burning appliances. (Note that Non-Catalytic Wood Stove efficiencies are 63%. ) Additional information on wood heater "efficiencies" is in the document: Guidance for Quantifying and Using Emission Reductions from Voluntary Woodstove Changeout Programs in State Implement http://epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t1/memoranda/guidance_quantfying_jan.pdf

Links To Additional Resources

This list is provided solely as a service to our customers, and therefore should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any position of the EIA or the U.S. Government. In addition, EIA does not endorse, recommend, or guarantee the content or accuracy of any information presented in the site links. DOE Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards Program http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/ http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/product.aspx/productid/72 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/product.aspx/productid/75

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/product.aspx/productid/68

DOE/EPA Energy Star Program http://www.energystar.gov DOE Information for Consumers On Space Heating, etc www.energysavers.gov Federal Trade Commission - Appliance Labeling http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus-82-appliance-labeling-energyguide-labels-faqs Residential Heating and Cooling Appliances - All Types Directory of Certified Performance http://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/home.aspx published by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute http://www.ahrinet.org/ Geothermal Heat Pumps Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC) www.geoexchange.org International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) www.igshpa.okstate.edu National Ground Water Association (has information on "water-source" geothermal heat pumps) www.ngwa.org Wood, Pellet, Corn (kernel), and Coal Heaters U.S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/burnwise Hearth, Patio, and Barbaque Education Foundation http://hpbef.org/ Hearth Net http://hearth.com Wood Heat.org www.woodheat.org Home Heating With Wood , Clemson (University) Extension http://www.nasdonline.org/docs/d001201-d001300/d001235/d001235.html Pellet Fuels Institute http://pelletheat.org Burning Shelled Corn--A Renewable Fuel Penn State Extension http://extension.psu.edu/energy/field-crops/shelled-corn Professional Trades Associations Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

www.acca.org American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers www.ashrae.org Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute http://www.ahrinet.org/

or oil furnace or boiler. esponds to changes in the load, er the efficiency.

e heat pump in heating mode. umber of Btu of heat he HSPF, the higher the efficiency. Energy Efficiency Ratio). The SEER rating

heating mode, and is the ratio of the efficiency. ciency Ratio). The EER rating

resistance heating as the auxillary heat nd conditions that manufacturers use to

Ratio (SEER) for Air Source Heat Pumps," Engineers, Inc., Atlanta, GA, June 2004.

for calculating an adjusted HSPF ary heat source. This method is assumed perience in different locations in the USA.

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) directly correspond to the efficiency as, and propane, the EPA does include

sted in that document, as follows: burning appliances.

grams in State Implementation Plans