Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Kennebec Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Kennebec, used by 298,426 or 48% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Kennebec households is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Kennebec County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53,178 | 101,382 | 92,432 | 298,426 | 65,496 | 3,526 | 9,422 |
| 2024 | 51,248 | 98,171 | 83,361 | 309,159 | 59,610 | 3,144 | 8,226 |
| 2023 | 51,811 | 84,744 | 79,160 | 323,666 | 57,999 | 2,137 | 12,767 |
| 2022 | 48,991 | 84,304 | 63,901 | 339,456 | 51,998 | 1,704 | 11,224 |
| 2021 | 47,952 | 78,322 | 61,019 | 345,133 | 46,227 | 1,374 | 10,375 |
| 2020 | 46,351 | 73,782 | 54,514 | 345,001 | 50,077 | 1,210 | 9,402 |
| 2019 | 44,750 | 69,241 | 48,008 | 344,869 | 53,927 | 1,047 | 8,428 |
| 2018 | 44,328 | 61,194 | 41,759 | 355,904 | 54,843 | 1,169 | 8,683 |
| 2017 | 41,841 | 61,816 | 36,406 | 331,541 | 54,454 | 1,228 | 10,328 |
| 2016 | 41,879 | 52,621 | 33,543 | 333,900 | 55,290 | 312 | 11,584 |
| 2015 | 37,624 | 50,511 | 35,138 | 336,337 | 70,767 | 604 | 11,270 |
| 2014 | 37,608 | 48,027 | 28,040 | 342,185 | 78,214 | 451 | 11,692 |
| 2013 | 31,836 | 45,601 | 28,747 | 351,842 | 76,707 | 486 | 9,827 |
| 2012 | 28,621 | 41,477 | 23,260 | 374,110 | 76,225 | 635 | 6,995 |
| 2011 | 27,427 | 42,224 | 24,723 | 379,409 | 68,055 | 307 | 6,480 |
| 2010 | 23,135 | 36,617 | 27,813 | 384,021 | 65,520 | 446 | 5,177 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Kennebec
Heating oil has become losing popularity in Kennebec. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of residents using oil dipped from 345,133 to 298,426, a 14% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Kennebec
Between 2021 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 78,322 to 101,382, a 29% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 47,952 to 53,178, a 11% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Kennebec
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Kennebec. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 61,019 to 92,432, a 51% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Kennebec
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid flows between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. Today, 3,526 homes in Kennebec are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 157% gain from 2021, when 1,374 homes used active solar heating.
Kennebec County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Kennebec County homeowners purchased a total of 25 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Kennebec’s overall oil use fluctuates yearly as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Kennebec was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Kennebec County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Kennebec County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Kennebec families heating with heating oil, picking which of the 17 heating oil companies that serve Kennebec plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 12 “full-service” oil companies that serve Kennebec. Full service companies such as MA Haskell Fuel Company LLC or MA Haskell Fuel Company LLC offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Kennebec cash heating oil companies serving Kennebec include Fabian Discount Online and Fabian Oil Inc.
Kennebec Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Kennebec: 17 companies .
Average Number of Kennebec Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 17554
Kennebec Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 households in Kennebec heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Kennebec temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Kennebec residences rely on oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Kennebec County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Kennebec County Households | Kennebec County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
160 Kennebec Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 246,945,991 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Kennebec residences last winter, the Kennebec community depends on its 160 oil companies when temperatures dip. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Kennebec, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Kennebec and the surrounding region.
