How to Compare Prices of Coal & Oil
Because the standard measure for coal is tons and the standard measure for heating oil is gallons, at first glance it's difficult to compare the price of the two. However, heating cost calculators available on the Web make the process easier. Does this Spark an idea?
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Purchase Size
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It is far cheaper to buy bituminous coal (or black coal) by the ton, but if you do not have room to store that much, it's generally available in 40 lb. bags. No. 2 fuel oil is available by the gallon. The purchase amount depends on the size of your fuel tank (often 100 gallons).
Efficiency
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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fuel Value Calculator (see Resources), black coal has an 85 percent efficiency rating and provides 30.6 million BTU per ton. One gallon of No. 2 fuel oil has an 80 percent efficiency rating and puts out 140,000 to 150,000 BTUs.
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Comparative Costs
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One hundred gallons of fuel oil is equal to approximately 0.91 ton of coal in energy production. According to the NEPACrossroads.com Fuel Comparison Calculator (see Resources), if No. 2 fuel oil sells for $3 a gallon and coal sells for $65 a ton (or $59 for 0.91 ton), the energy derived from burning coal is $240 cheaper than the energy from fuel oil.
Conclusion
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Burning coal is less expensive and more efficient than heating with oil. However, coal does not burn as cleanly as oil, and running a coal furnace requires more time spent loading and cleaning.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit coal effect fire image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com
