We certainly are a diverse population in St. Lawrence County – at least when it comes to the way we heat our homes.
But will the same be true a quarter-century from now?
According to last week’s NCNow Survey, about one-quarter of us heat with natural gas and about the same number use a wood or pellet stove.
The complete results and survey participants’ comments will remain on the NCNow Survey page only through mid-day Monday when the results of the next survey will be posted.
But here is the breakdown of the primary heating source used at home:
27.9% -- Natural gas
21.1% -- Wood stove
18.0% -- Oil
8.6% -- Propane
7.7% -- Kerosene
7.6% -- Electric
6.0% -- Pellet stove
3.0% -- Other
Granted, the survey is unscientific and represents only the views of NorthCountryNow.com viewers who chose to participate.
However, it would be interesting to conduct a similar survey five, ten and 25 years from now.
Will natural gas still lead?
Will many more of us be using stoves, burning pellets manufactured from switchgrass grown right here in the North Country?
Will petroleum prices spike again, leading many homeowners to abandon oil for good?
Perhaps, a new “green” technology that we’re not familiar with today will evolve and replace most of today’s major heating methods.
In any case, at least for this winter, we sure are glad oil prices have come down just as cold weather settles in for the next four months.
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3 comments:
If we are smart it will be mostly electricity generated by nuclear power plants.
Yeah, it is pretty incredible that nuclear doesn't even make the list.
Switchgrass is over-rated, I am making pellets from maple leaves as well as shredded paper, Amish sawdust and regular hay. If each township made pellets from yard debris we could probably heat the whole north country with a lot less than the investment of a nuclear plant and NEVER run out of fuel.Just think of what a difference that would make to landfills as well.
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