Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Rensselaer, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Rensselaer families is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).

Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer

Fuel oil has become less frequently used in Rensselaer. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of residents using number two heating oil fell from 1,802,442 to 1,103,323, a 39% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Rensselaer

Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 259,367 to 377,922, a 46% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 4,074,510 to 4,725,574, a 16% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Rensselaer

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Rensselaer. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 764,400 to 1,365,710, a 79% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Rensselaer

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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, 16,434 homes in Rensselaer are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 551% gain from 2013, when 2,525 homes used active solar heating.

Rensselaer County Heating Oil Trends

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

Short Term Trends

Rensselaer’s overall fuel oil usage changes annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Rensselaer was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Rensselaer County Average Winter Temperature

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

Rensselaer County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Rensselaer homes heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 41 heating oil companies that serve Rensselaer makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 276 “full-service” oil companies that serve Rensselaer. Full service companies such as Morse Fuels LLC or Family Danz Fuel Services LLC offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Rensselaer cash heating oil companies serving Rensselaer include Kokosa Oil Inc and MainCare Express.

Rensselaer Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Rensselaer: 41 companies .
Average Number of Rensselaer Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 26910

Rensselaer Heating Oil Delivery Overview

1,103,323 households in Rensselaer heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Rensselaer temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Rensselaer households are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.

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

Rensselaer County Households	Rensselaer County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

436 Rensselaer Oil Companies You Can Bank On

With 664,748,714 gallons of heating oil delivered to Rensselaer homeowners during this past winter, the Rensselaer community depends on its 436 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 Rensselaer, 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 residences and companies throughout Rensselaer and the surrounding vicinity.

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