Dalmatian90
Addicted to ArboristSite
Wood Doctor, it is simply impossible to discuss pricing of firewood in Boston and ignore the impact of population density and land use. You asked why it is so expensive, and I in large part answered the question.
Yeah, there are other factors at work that create a higher price even in the rural areas. I'm guessing there aren't many wood-fired electric power plants or campus heating systems to compete for cull logs in Nebraska (which is a big factor in local wood markets around here now...the wood burner in Plainfield is permitted for 1,360 tons per day, some of it waste, some of it stuff that used to get left in the woods or sold to firewooders). Folks, in general, have higher incomes and are willing to pay more (and likewise there are better paying opportunities for someone who thinks firewood is too low.) Higher income doesn't necessarily mean higher quality of life, since you're also paying more for housing, etc. But what drives prices up dramatically near Boston is congestion.
I got a propane flyer this summer for 99 cents a gallon, though that is a one-time introductory rate and we usually pay substantially more for propane than in the midwest.
The terrain isn't a problem for natural gas as much as it is a land use and patterns of development issue. It's not as economical to serve individual residences spread out on minimum 2 acre lots as it is to serve villages -- and in Northeastern Connecticut you can get natural gas in, among others, Putnam, Killingly, Plainfield, Willimantic...and UConn in Storrs runs on natural gas now. Even with those land use patterns, the current ten-year plan approved by the regulators is to expand add another 280,000 customers and 900 miles of gas mains statewide by expanding to neighborhoods nearby existing installations, as well as running new service to unserved small cities like Stafford Springs.
The largest problem with natural gas is NIMBYism opposing the construction of new and expanded transmission pipelines to bring in the gas from Pennsylvania, and those pipelines have already been pushed to the limits by the changes in our electrical production over the last 15 years -- we now rely on Natural Gas for about 55% of our power, nuclear from Millstone for 50%, and everything else from coal to wind and oil for 5%. Much of that 5% is cold winter days when the gas fired plants switch over to oil for the day, so the gas supply can be diverted to home heating.
Yeah, there are other factors at work that create a higher price even in the rural areas. I'm guessing there aren't many wood-fired electric power plants or campus heating systems to compete for cull logs in Nebraska (which is a big factor in local wood markets around here now...the wood burner in Plainfield is permitted for 1,360 tons per day, some of it waste, some of it stuff that used to get left in the woods or sold to firewooders). Folks, in general, have higher incomes and are willing to pay more (and likewise there are better paying opportunities for someone who thinks firewood is too low.) Higher income doesn't necessarily mean higher quality of life, since you're also paying more for housing, etc. But what drives prices up dramatically near Boston is congestion.
I got a propane flyer this summer for 99 cents a gallon, though that is a one-time introductory rate and we usually pay substantially more for propane than in the midwest.
The terrain isn't a problem for natural gas as much as it is a land use and patterns of development issue. It's not as economical to serve individual residences spread out on minimum 2 acre lots as it is to serve villages -- and in Northeastern Connecticut you can get natural gas in, among others, Putnam, Killingly, Plainfield, Willimantic...and UConn in Storrs runs on natural gas now. Even with those land use patterns, the current ten-year plan approved by the regulators is to expand add another 280,000 customers and 900 miles of gas mains statewide by expanding to neighborhoods nearby existing installations, as well as running new service to unserved small cities like Stafford Springs.
The largest problem with natural gas is NIMBYism opposing the construction of new and expanded transmission pipelines to bring in the gas from Pennsylvania, and those pipelines have already been pushed to the limits by the changes in our electrical production over the last 15 years -- we now rely on Natural Gas for about 55% of our power, nuclear from Millstone for 50%, and everything else from coal to wind and oil for 5%. Much of that 5% is cold winter days when the gas fired plants switch over to oil for the day, so the gas supply can be diverted to home heating.
even though the current pipeline isn't even operating anywhere near full demand...
, which in now way helps anyone except for KM...who the hell wants a pipeline through their "back yard" when it does nothing for them?
:fuckyou:
