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Natural Gas Use in American Households
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Heating Oil Use in American HouseholdsThe price of residential heating oil has risen nearly 50 percent since 1999 (Figure 1), and the Short-Term Energy Outlook February 2001 (STEO) projects that consumers will continue to experience high prices for at least the next three quarters (Figure 2). However, the high prices will have less impact on the Nation, as a whole, than they would have had in earlier years. According to the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), the use of heating oil as the main heating fuel in American households has declined from 20 percent of households in 1980 to 9 percent in 1997. The 1997 RECS reported that households that used heating oil consumed an average of 730 gallons in 1997 (Figure 3). Those households paid an average of $714 for the year at a price of $0.98 per gallon. The STEO projects that the average price for heating oil will be $1.31 per gallon for 2001. If we apply the projected 2001 price to the 1997 level of consumption, we can estimate average annual expenditures at the higher price. To account for inflation, we convert 1997 and 2001 prices and expenditures to chained 1996 dollars. We find that average heating oil expenditures for 1997 (in 1996 dollars) were $701 and expenditures based on the projected 2001 price would be $876. |
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If heating oil prices projected for 2001 were applied to households that used the fuel in 1997, annual expenditures (in chained dollars) would be 25% higher. |
Unlike the use of natural gas, the use of heating oil by American households is not widespread. Its use varies significantly by Census Region and the year that the housing unit was constructed.
Specific questions may be directed to:
Stephanie J. Battles Survey Manager Phone: (202) 586-7237 Fax: (202) 586-0018 Alan Swenson
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/consumptionbriefs/recs/heating_oil/heating_oil.html Release date: 2/22/2001 If you are having technical problems with this site, please contact the
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