Research shows lower cost of electricity

Electricity is safe and comfortable and costs less than natural gas, a new study confirms.

The study was conducted by a certified energy manager with input from energy management specialists with electric cooperatives in South Carolina. Key points include:

• Electric heat pumps can heat homes for about half the cost of natural gas
  
  
• The price of residential natural gas has more than doubled in the last 15 years
  
  
• New electric heat pumps provide more comfort than ever and have fewer temperature swings than natural gas
  
  
• All-electric homes cost less to operate than homes with natural gas appliances.

Study details

Details of the study can be accessed at ecsc.org, a Web site maintained by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. (ECSC), the co-ops' statewide association. ECSC reports that nearly three out of four co-op consumers in the Palmetto State use electricity for heating their homes. Visitors to ecsc.org can click on the Energy Center and follow a link to a section about "Electricity's Value."

This section describes how the researchers arrived at their estimates on heating and cooling costs. They calculated energy use, both electric and natural gas, for a typical 1,900 square foot home located in Columbia. The calculation used as its standard a heating and cooling system with a seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) of 13, a heating season performance factor (HSPF) of 7.7 and an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80%.

The resulting figures are estimates only, researchers note. Actual operating cost will vary based on individual locations, lifestyles, equipment efficiency, and weather conditions.

Energy price trends

Energy rates used for the calculations were $0.095 per kilowatt-hour and $1.61 per therm. While prices for all forms of energy have increased, retail electricity costs have been more stable than residential natural gas costs.

In the last 15 years, the price of residential natural gas has more than doubled in South Carolina, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). Another link connects site visitors to the EIA's short-term energy forecast for electricity and natural gas, which is updated regularly.

Source: Living in South Carolina magazine

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