Instructions
Dual fuel savings calculator
Compare your annual fossil fuel heating costs to the cost of heating with electricity using Otter Tail Power Company's dual fuel rate. Our dual fuel rate averages about half the standard price of electricity, making it one of the lowest-priced electric rates available.
To use this calculator you will need to know:
- The age or efficiency level of your present fossil fuel system.
- The amount and type of fuel you've used over a one-year period
- The price you paid for that fuel.
Fuel type: Select the fossil fuel type your current heating system uses. Each fuel has its own Btu measure—a measure of the amount of heat a unit of fuel can produce—that is considered in this calculation.
Furnace efficiency: Fossil fuel furnaces have efficiency ranges between 60 percent and 92 percent depending on the model design. Older models operate less efficiently than newer and high-efficiency models. Manufacturers assign efficiency ratings based on laboratory tests. The rating indicates the percentage of the energy used that converts to heat. The balance of the fuel used is lost as exhaust and other by-products.
You should be able to find the efficiency rating in your owner's manual if that's available. If you don't know the efficiency rating of your system, we will use an average efficiency based on the age of the system.
Amount of fuel used in the past 12 months: If you use propane or fuel oil, enter the total number of gallons used, if you use natural gas, enter the total number of MCF used in the past 12 months. This tool will calculate an equivalent amount of electric energy for the comparison results.
Fuel cost for the past 12 months: Enter the total dollars you spent on fuel during the past year or, if unknown, the average price per gallon or MCF for your fossil fuel selection. (Enter numbers only - no dollar sign or comma)
State: Select the state where your home is located. The calculator will use this information to select the proper dual fuel electric rate for your state.
