Comparison of Home Appliance Energy Use, Operating Costs, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions 2022 Update
This AGA study evaluates the critical differences in energy cost and emissions for many common home appliances that use natural gas or rely on other forms of energy. AGA based this study on the characteristics of the average American single-family home and the likely energy consumption for each type of end-use home appliance. The analysis then looks at the current average full-fuel cycle greenhouse gas emissions for each energy source to evaluate the impact on the environment from each appliance in the coming year.
Key Study Conclusions
- The average cost for residential natural gas is the cheapest form of energy, costing homes $12.09 per MMBtu versus $41.79 per MMBtu for electricity, $25.11 per MMBtu for distillate oil, and $24.42 per MMBtu for propane.
- The typical natural gas single-family home with standard efficiency appliances costs less than other fuel sources at just $1,068 per year. Even compared to a home with a cold climate heat pump, the natural gas home on average saved $390.
- Based on 2020 power generation emissions data from the EPA, the use of natural gas can lower household emissions this year by 17% compared with a home using many minimum-efficiency electric appliances including an energy star heat pump for space heating.
- A cold climate heat pump and heat pump water heater showed lower emissions compared to the typical gas home with standard appliances. With the installation of condensing natural gas space and water heaters, natural gas homes can reach 11% lower emissions this year than with the use of many advanced air-source heat pumps.
- The use of natural gas heat pumps can further lower emissions by 22% compared to the cold climate heat pump configuration.
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