Prices & Inflation

Enter all cost and inflation information here.

Energy Cost Information

Enter the local utility rates for annual operating cost calculations. If a field is left blank, the associated technology will be ignored in the calculations.

Use Seasonally Adjusted Rates: Check this box if you wish to enter separate energy cost information for heating and cooling.

Use Defaults: Click to use default energy cost information associated with your account. This will overwrite the values in the fields (if entered). Remember to save the page after applying default values to the project.

Store as Defaults: Click to store the entered energy cost information as the default values for all future projects. Remember that all new projects will be created with this information entered into the fields. These values can always be manually overwritten.

Default values for energy cost and inflation rates are stored separately. It is possible to store default values for cost but not inflation and vice versa.

Standard Electric Rate: The standard cost of electricity ($/kWh) for the given project. This is a required field.

GSHP Electric Rate: The cost of electricity ($/kWh) for a GSHP (ground source heat pump) system. Some electric utility companies offer reduced electric rates in conjunction with the installation of a GSHP system. This is a required field.

ASHP Electric Rate: The cost of electricity ($/kWh) for an ASHP (air source heat pump) system. Some electric utility companies offer reduced electric rates in conjunction with the installation of an ASHP system.

Natural Gas Rate: The cost of natural gas ($/ccf) for the given project (conversion factors: 1 ccf = 1 therm = 0.1 mcf).

Propane Rate: The cost of propane ($/gal) for the given project.

Fuel Oil Rate: The cost of heating oil ($/gal) for the given project.

Fixed Costs

GSHP Annual Lease Cost ($/Year): The fixed annual lease costs for the GSHP system. A lease can be used to cover all, or simply a portion of the installation cost for a GSHP system.

Natural Gas Meter Cost ($/Year): The fixed annual cost of a natural gas meter.

Propane Tank Cost ($/Year): The fixed annual rent, lease and/or maintenance costs of a propane storage tank.

Fuel Oil Tank Cost ($/Year): The fixed annual rent, lease and/or maintenance costs of a fuel oil storage tank.

Energy Inflation Rates

Use Defaults: Click to use default energy inflation rates associated with your account. This will overwrite the values in the fields (if entered). Remember to save the page after applying default values to the project.

Store as Defaults: Click to store the entered energy inflation rates as the default values for all future projects. Remember that all new projects will be created with this information entered into the fields. These values can always be manually overwritten.

Default values for energy cost and inflation rates are stored separately. It is possible to store default values for cost but not inflation and vice versa.

Inflation Rate: Specify the estimated annual inflation rates (over 30 years) for the selected fuel type. The rates will be used in 30-year cost of ownership calculations later in the project. A good source for this information is www.eia.gov.