# Article on heating oil prices and alternate heating



## REM505 (Mar 16, 2011)

I found this article interesting, especially some of the numbers they give.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2011-03-12-heating-oil_N.htm


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## DAKSY (Mar 16, 2011)

We're seeing a BIG increase in pellet burning appliance for the very reasons cited in that article.
By pellets & you keep Americans working. By oil & it goes to the land of sand...
No brainer.


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## oldspark (Mar 16, 2011)

DAKSY said:
			
		

> We're seeing a BIG increase in pellet burning appliance for the very reasons cited in that article.
> By pellets & you keep Americans working. By oil & it goes to the land of sand...
> No brainer.


 Actually it goes to Mexico and Canada for the most part but I guess Mexico could be called the land of sand.


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## Fsappo (Mar 16, 2011)

Just had a couple come in to look at a pellet stove.  They asked me if it would be cheaper in the summer.  I told them very briefly "With the price of oil and steel going up, I doubt it"  They got that glazed over look when you know you lost em and said "we'll be back in the summer when the prices are cheaper"  Doubt I'll see them anyhow, but I hope they are right.  I prefer the slow and steady over the 2008 drama.

Jones beach is the land of the sand.  And by the by I by NY pellets to keep the money local.  I wanna keep the money in the USA and also in New York if I can, so I by accordingLEE.

By by


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## redhorse (Mar 16, 2011)

We buy pellets to use for horse bedding, and they are getting more scarce.

I'd really like to take the used bedding from stalls and pelletize that to be used in pellet stoves -- the stuff would be doing double duty that way.  I suspect manure doesn't yield the BTUs of pure wood, but if the cost were less, I wonder if people would be ok with that?  I know they are already doing this in Europe (some stables support themselves by pelletizing and selling stall waste).  

I think this is a huge entrepreneurial opportunity here.


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## btuser (Mar 16, 2011)

There are some good things about pellets (local fuel you hope doesn't run out) but from a price-protection point of view I don't see much of a difference between burning pellets and burning oil.  If you're locked into a fuel you're locked in.  I like the idea of buying 10 tons when prices are lower but that's as much space as a 1500 gallon tank, maybe even more.  I remember pellets @ 400/ton back in 2008, just like oil.   All it will take is one company to buy up a couple mills and then rasie prices to whatever they want,  juuuuuust enough below oil + propane to keep us stuffing the stoves ourselves but we're not going to get a break.   They still own you.


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## REM505 (Mar 17, 2011)

redhorse said:
			
		

> We buy pellets to use for horse bedding, and they are getting more scarce.
> 
> I'd really like to take the used bedding from stalls and pelletize that to be used in pellet stoves -- the stuff would be doing double duty that way.  I suspect manure doesn't yield the BTUs of pure wood, but if the cost were less, I wonder if people would be ok with that?  I know they are already doing this in Europe (some stables support themselves by pelletizing and selling stall waste).
> 
> I think this is a huge entrepreneurial opportunity here.



Might work.  I remember camping in Arizona as a kid we used to burn cow patties.  I don't remember how well they burned though.   We just thought it was funny we could burn cow turds.
But they did catch fire.


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## Jags (Mar 17, 2011)

Jack Wagon said:
			
		

> Might work.  I remember camping in Arizona as a kid we used to burn cow patties.  I don't remember how well they burned though.   We just thought it was funny we could burn cow turds.
> But they did catch fire.



So much for roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. :sick:


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## Delta-T (Mar 17, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> Jack Wagon said:
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burning manures is also very dirty....lots of fumes....in Mongolia, they DO roast marshmallows over the open manure fire...its an acquired taste, like yak face.


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## Fsappo (Mar 17, 2011)

Acutally, if you never ate dried cowed manure after its been cooked over a wood fire...Thats how alot of the Scandinavian American Indians survived during the the great drought.


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## Delta-T (Mar 17, 2011)

Franks said:
			
		

> Acutally, if you never ate dried cowed manure after its been cooked over a wood fire...Thats how alot of the Scandinavian American Indians survived during the the great drought.


I love world history! thanks for that tid bit frank....will share with all my friend.


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## begreen (Mar 17, 2011)

Millions use cow dung for heating, cooking and a building material in India. It's a very practical material and because most people there don't eat meat, there are cows and cow poop in abundance.


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## Delta-T (Mar 17, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> Delta-T said:
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now there's no one to share with....shopping for new friend now....OH, some excellent deals on Amazon!


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## snowleopard (Mar 17, 2011)

Must be a record-setter: this thread didn't even go off topic--it just splintered.  Yak poop recipes and buying local and Jag's social life and . . .


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## Jags (Mar 17, 2011)

snowleopard said:
			
		

> and Jag's social life and . . .



Boy do I have a story for you.  It started off a normal day while walking my emu and crocodile....

(my apologies to the OP, this thread really did stray off of the intended path).  It was a good article, by the way.


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## sesmith (Mar 17, 2011)

redhorse said:
			
		

> We buy pellets to use for horse bedding, and they are getting more scarce.
> 
> I'd really like to take the used bedding from stalls and pelletize that to be used in pellet stoves -- the stuff would be doing double duty that way.  I suspect manure doesn't yield the BTUs of pure wood, but if the cost were less, I wonder if people would be ok with that?  I know they are already doing this in Europe (some stables support themselves by pelletizing and selling stall waste).
> 
> I think this is a huge entrepreneurial opportunity here.



There's a 3 pt implement available (for a price) for making pellets.  You can use wood chips, grass, and other materials.  You might be able to use one to re-pelletize your pellets.  Forget the steelcat, though...you might need a "barn cat" on your stove to burn off the horse smoke.


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## btuser (Mar 17, 2011)

It might be hard to dry out the bedding enough.


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## henkmeuzelaar (Mar 18, 2011)

Franks said:
			
		

> Acutally, if you never ate dried cowed manure after its been cooked over a wood fire...Thats how alot of the *Scandinavian American Indians* survived during the the great drought.



WTF (win the future) are Scandinavian American Indians ??? 

Henk


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## Rick Stanley (Mar 18, 2011)

redhorse said:
			
		

> We buy pellets to use for horse bedding, and they are getting more scarce.
> 
> I'd really like to take the used bedding from stalls and pelletize that to be used in pellet stoves -- the stuff would be doing double duty that way.  I suspect manure doesn't yield the BTUs of pure wood, but if the cost were less, I wonder if people would be ok with that?  I know they are already doing this in Europe (some stables support themselves by pelletizing and selling stall waste).
> 
> I think this is a huge entrepreneurial opportunity here.


 Bi the way; why do you bye pellets for horse bedding rather than shavings or sawdust?


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