Households have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Albany, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Albany families is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).

Albany County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	4,725,574	377,922	1,365,710	1,103,323	92,054	16,434	100,232
2024	4,679,558	370,910	1,292,868	1,143,783	96,147	15,259	97,524
2023	4,581,041	402,335	1,263,700	1,212,850	100,015	11,208	104,369
2022	4,542,443	400,969	1,190,880	1,279,260	99,080	11,314	103,810
2021	4,489,009	388,311	1,118,015	1,293,770	108,202	8,858	98,952
2020	4,504,504	353,944	1,014,730	1,343,665	111,106	8,778	89,024
2019	4,519,999	319,576	911,445	1,393,560	114,011	8,697	79,096
2018	4,397,917	308,020	890,554	1,459,976	120,159	6,022	82,621
2017	4,339,349	294,973	867,925	1,496,843	122,088	5,988	77,386
2016	4,227,422	273,838	860,856	1,540,787	126,890	6,535	79,479
2015	4,202,413	265,224	808,370	1,649,860	141,016	3,120	78,999
2014	4,186,666	258,775	770,577	1,752,656	145,012	2,573	76,963
2013	4,074,510	259,367	764,400	1,802,442	148,422	2,525	81,841
2012	4,044,389	237,738	775,390	1,901,118	155,603	2,168	61,429
2011	4,014,222	222,634	707,016	1,979,067	143,287	2,728	63,609
2010	3,961,085	227,607	676,262	2,068,004	143,242	1,823	61,664

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Albany

Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Albany. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of homeowners using fuel oil declined from 1,393,560 to 1,103,323, a 21% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Albany

Between 2019 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 319,576 to 377,922, a 18% change. Comparing 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,519,999 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Albany

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Albany. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 911,445 to 1,365,710, a 50% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Albany

The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. Today, 16,434 homes in Albany are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 89% gain from 2019, when 8,697 homes utilized active solar heating.

Albany County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Albany County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Albany’s overall fuel oil consumption changes each year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Albany was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Albany County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	28.1° F
2023 - 2024	33.5° F

Albany County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Albany homeowners heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 61 heating oil companies that serve Albany is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 323 “full-service” oil companies that serve Albany. Full service companies such as H & M Oil Co Inc Hoffman & Miller Oil Co or Helderberg Oil Inc offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The customer does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.

Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. Some of the 2 Albany cash heating oil companies serving Albany include Collins & Son Inc and MainCare Express.

Albany Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Albany: 61 companies .
Average Number of Albany Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 18087

Albany Heating Oil Delivery Overview

1,103,323 residences in Albany heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Albany temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Albany homes depend on oil delivery each winter.

7% of Albany County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Albany County Households	Albany County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

607 Albany Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Albany residences the last heating season, the Albany community looks to its 607 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Albany, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Albany and the surrounding vicinity.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

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