Electricity is safe and comfortable and costs less than natural gas, a new study confirms.

The study was conducted by a certified energy manager with input from energy management specialists with electric cooperatives in South Carolina. Key points include:

• Electric heat pumps can heat homes for about half the cost of natural gas
• The price of residential natural gas has more than doubled in the last 15 years
• New electric heat pumps provide more comfort than ever and have fewer temperature swings than natural gas
• All-electric homes cost less to operate than homes with natural gas appliances.

Study details
Details of the study can be accessed here.  This section describes how the researchers arrived at their estimates on heating and cooling costs. They calculated energy use, both electric and natural gas, for a typical 1,900-square-foot home located in Columbia. The calculation used as its standard a heating and cooling system with a seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) of 13, a heating season performance factor (HSPF) of 7.7 and an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80%.

The resulting figures are estimates only, researchers note. Actual operating costs will vary based on individual locations, lifestyles, equipment efficiency, and weather conditions.

Energy price trends
Energy rates used for the calculations were $0.095 per kilowatt-hour and $1.61 per therm. While prices for all forms of energy have increased, retail electricity costs have been more stable than residential natural gas costs.

In the last 15 years, the price of residential natural gas has more than doubled in South Carolina, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA).