Comparing Fuel Prices
Dave Neads found this article with this chart at the end. Dave's comments are below the picture. You can compare different fuels to see whether you're paying too much for your particular situation.
http://umaine.edu/publications/7216e/
The important part of this paper is the chart at the end.
It shows the relative cost for different fuels based on BTU delivered. Pay attention to the different assumptions, not every wood stove is equal, not every type of fuel is equal.
The heat delivered by each scenario is relatively fixed, the ratios between each source don't change. Your scenario may or my not match one of these scenarios.
When you compare electric kW to wood, paying 10 cents per kWh is the same as
paying $290 a cord (Pine and fir) if you use a 70% efficient heater. Rarely
does a heater put out 70%, most air tights are in the 50% or less
range. In that case you should pay less per cord because you'll need more so the price of wood that is equivalent to 10 cents per kWh drops to just over $200 per cord.
In other words in a typical scenario if you are paying more than $205 a cord it is cheaper
to use baseboards. But then you say your wood is free, you cut and chop it yourself from your own property. Still, your labor has value, what else could you do with your labor and how many hours did you put into your cord of wood?
Further, a heat pump is 2 for one re kWh. So in effect 10 cent
electricity becomes 5 cent electricity. In that range if you pay more
than $168 a cord , a heat pump is cheaper to operate.
Plus no PM2.5, none of the 160 odd other poisons into the air and our
lungs.
It is interesting to note that the hotter the burn, the less PM2.5 ,
however the higher temperatures produce more dioxins and furans than a
cool fire. You can't win either way.
There is a reason civilization went from wood to coal to oil. Wood is a
dirty, low grade inefficient fuel. Period. That is why it is illegal to
heat with wood in Vancouver, West Vancouver and so on.
If I came into your backyard a lit up a cigarette you can rightly force
me to put it out. But if my neighbour's wood smoke fills my yard or my
house there is nothing I can do. Where is the logic in that?
range. In that case you should pay less per cord because you'll need more so the price of wood that is equivalent to 10 cents per kWh drops to just over $200 per cord.
In other words in a typical scenario if you are paying more than $205 a cord it is cheaper
to use baseboards. But then you say your wood is free, you cut and chop it yourself from your own property. Still, your labor has value, what else could you do with your labor and how many hours did you put into your cord of wood?
Further, a heat pump is 2 for one re kWh. So in effect 10 cent
electricity becomes 5 cent electricity. In that range if you pay more
than $168 a cord , a heat pump is cheaper to operate.
Plus no PM2.5, none of the 160 odd other poisons into the air and our
lungs.
It is interesting to note that the hotter the burn, the less PM2.5 ,
however the higher temperatures produce more dioxins and furans than a
cool fire. You can't win either way.
There is a reason civilization went from wood to coal to oil. Wood is a
dirty, low grade inefficient fuel. Period. That is why it is illegal to
heat with wood in Vancouver, West Vancouver and so on.
If I came into your backyard a lit up a cigarette you can rightly force
me to put it out. But if my neighbour's wood smoke fills my yard or my
house there is nothing I can do. Where is the logic in that?
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