Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Rhode Island, used by 238,730 or 54.33% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Rhode Island homeowners is heating oil, used by 123,513 homes (28.11%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (48,608), propane (20,290), wood (6,261), and other fuels (5,741).

Rhode Island Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households

Fuel	Rhode Island Households	% of Households
Natural Gas	238,730	54.33%
Heating Oil	123,513	28.11%
Electricity	48,608	11.06%
Propane	20,290	4.62%
Wood	6,261	1.42%
Other Fuels	2,906	0.66%
No Fuel	2,274	0.52%
Solar	368	0.08%
Coal	193	0.04%

Natural gas (54.33)

Heating oil (28.11)

Electricity (11.06)

Propane (4.62)

Wood (1.42)

Other fuels (0.66)

No fuel (0.52)

Solar (0.08)

Coal (0.04)

#2 Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Rhode Island

Heating oil has become less popular in Rhode Island. In the 7 years since 2015, the number of heating oil homes fell from 137,072 to 123,513, a 9.89% drop.

Rhode Island Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)

Year	Heating Oil Households
2011	157,027
2012	153,138
2013	147,428
2014	142,250
2015	137,072
2016	131,665
2017	128,463
2018	125,105
2019	122,253
2020	120,814
2021	122,016
2022	123,513

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Rhode Island

Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 10,351 to 20,290.

Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 212,749 to 238,730.

Electricity use for home heating in Rhode Island

Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Rhode Island. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 38,859 to 48,608, a 25.09% increase.

Solar use for home heating in Rhode Island

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all space heating fuels. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank in the basement.

Currently, 368 homes in Rhode Island are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 275.51% increase from 2015, when only 98 homes had installed active solar heating.

Rhode Island Heating Oil Trends

Short Term Trends

Heating Season	Average Temperature
Winter 2022 - 2023	43.4° F
Winter 2021 - 2022	37.2° F

Rhode Island Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Rhode Island homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 100 heating oil companies that serve Rhode Island is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 14 “full-service” oil companies that serve Rhode Island. Full service companies such as Dudek Oil or Nite Oil Co Inc offer automatic fuel delivery and furnace repair under a single roof.

Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel Companies” or “Cash Heating Oil Companies”, these companies are for the budget-conscious Rhode Island homeowner. In return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank and place an order when you run low on oil. Examples of cash heating oil companies that serve Rhode Island include Anchor Fuel Oil Inc and Helger's United Oil Co.

Rhode Island Heating Oil Company Fast Facts

Heating Oil Companies Serving Rhode Island: 100 companies

Average Number Of Rhode Island Homes Served Per Company: 1,235 homes

Average Gallons Delivered per Rhode Island Oil Company: 918,909 gallons per year