Interesting Article on Natural Gas Prices

Boilerpro_3

Probably a quarter of the homes I'm in looking at boiler replacements here in Northern Illinois have NO attic insulation. Probably half or more have no sidewall insulation. On resided homes, cheap perforated housewraps are used allowing air to blow thorugh the walls, instead of more expensive solid housewraps that reley on osmosis for wall moisure ventilation. As I posted a few weeks ago, just using the appropriate energy source for the end need would cut our usage in half according to a study by Amory Lovins. Despite a doubling of the average fuel mileage of the nations automobile fleet we are using the same or more amount of gasoline per person...takes a lot of fuel to drive to Walmart to get those great deals, you know!


Boilerpro

Dave Springer

Interesting Article on Natural Gas Prices

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2003-06-10-greenspan-natural-gas_x.htm

kframe

Yep, been in a discussion with some people on another forum about this issue.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't want to have gas service for heat, hot water, and cooking this coming winter.

Joe_13

With oil, we can turn the Iraqi valve wide open

But I've never seen a NG glut drive prices down. NG prices only go in one direction: up. The question is how fast.
A cool North East might ease use of gas for electrical use this summer, but I already see very hot weather in the South and MidWest making up for it. Now I know why you need all that 90+ efficency heating equipment.
NG: clean ,efficent, EXPENSIVE!

leo g_45

hmmm

sounds like a good oppurtunity for radiant! more control with zoning and OD reset, to get the overall usage down.

also looks like we north americans are gonna start actually taking conservation measures to heart! i read somewhere, that if every household in canada, would only replace ONE standard light bulb with a compact flourescent, there would be enough energy saved to light up another 30,000 homes (or something along those lines).

yes, it is time for all of us to start to look at how we can reduce our consumption of non-renewables. and about time in my opinion!!!!

leo g

bigugh_4

Gas & Prices ?

Here in Utah, the nat. gas folks have asked the population to have their NG units sized for sure to fit the altitude. (4800 ft above sea level) Now this is not a bad idea. The excuse they gave is that perhaps this year they will use a lower btu content gas. (this was started 2>3 years ago). I said then that the situation was to increase prices of the fuel. Start by lowering the individual demand (resizing orifices). then use a lower content gas, then have the prices remain steady. A very sneaky way to get more for less. The only good thing, is that almost every NG unit will be checked for proper rate, and that is a safety and conservative thing. However why so sneaky ? I bet the prices will go up too. IMHO bigugh (PS) most heat comes from NG here, very little oil.

Doug_9

natural gas is the victim of its own success

Once it became the energy of choice, everybody, (including the electric utilities and major manufacturers) wanted it. We switched to gas last fall because the technology was superior to oil, and practically, a wall-hung condensing gas boiler was the best fit for our basement. Still, we left the spot open where the old oil tank was for a new one, and if prices really get out of hand (and Monitor sizes up a modulating version its wonderful FCX), we will follow the market and consider a change back to oil. Guess any way you slice it, the consumer is over a barrel.