Wood Pellet Stoves | Corn Stoves
There are now 800,000 alternative heating appliances in homes across the United States.
Although speculation in oil futures has put pressure on all fuels, including wood pellets,
the number of wood pellet manufacturers has increased from 15 in 1997 to 85 in 2008 -
with more on the way. This dramatic increase in production has kept the price of wood
pellets stable to the point where $1.00 worth of wood pellets now provides the same
amount of heat as $2.10 of heating oil.
The supply of corn for home fuel is also under pressure from the additional challenge of
ethanol production. The result is a bushel of corn costing twice as much as it did three
years ago. But even at $6.73 a bushel, fuel corn remained 45% cheaper than heating oil.
Amidst all the fuel price volatility, the cost of wood pellet and corn stoves has remained
virtually unchanged. This means a wide variety of stoves and fireplace inserts can still be
had for $2,000 or less; guaranteeing payback in fewer than two heating seasons.
Alternative-Heating-Info.com
Wood Pellet and Corn Stove
Sales Surge
In January, 2005 heating oil
prices were slightly less than
$1.80 a gallon.
By the end of the year, 3 months
after Katrina, prices spiked to
$2.30 a gallon and continued on
to set a record high of $5.18 a
gallon in July, '08.
Not coincidentally, the sale of
new wood pellet and corn stoves
surged 76% during the same
period boosting pellet fuel
appliance sales for one year to a
record 119,000 units.
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