American Gas - August/September 2014 - (Page 21)

This year Con Ed is on track to do about the same number of conversions, but about half of them are No. 2 conversions, Cummings said. That's an indication that the conversions are being driven primarily by economics-not environmental regulations-and that consumers have become convinced that the price of No. 2 oil will stay high relative to natural gas. The utility promotes the program through a variety of channels, but the best advertising has been via word of mouth, Cummings said. "New York is a big city, but there's really a very small community of people who manage these big buildings, and they talk to each other," she said. "If someone says, 'I saved tens of thousands during the last heating season because I converted,' that gets people's attention. So a lot of this is happen- ing at the grassroots level." Before the expansion push began, there were about 7,000 buildings using No. 4 and No. 6 fuel oil and 16,000 using No. 2 in Con Ed's New York City service area. Con Ed is projecting a 65 percent conversion rate through 2019. Though Con Ed has been able to connect most buildings at no cost to the owners, these new customers still foot the bill for converting the equipment inside their building to natural gas. While a variety of rebates and incentives are available, the biggest ﬁnancial hurdle for many has been the cost of a chimney liner, Cummings said. If required, that can add $7,000 to $10,000 per ﬂoor to the cost of conversion. Con Ed encourages potential new customers to think long-term and use the utility's online calculator to estimate their annual savings. "If it can pay for itself in just a few heating seasons, it's more than worth it," Cummings said. -J.P.T. American School of Gas Measurement Technology September 22-25, 2014 Marriott Westchase * Houston, Texas The ASGMT skillfully merges lecture and hands-on classes to meet the practical application of Natural Gas and NGL (Natural Gas Liquid) Measurement, Quality Determination and Flow Regulation functions. 167 informative classes, combined with 117 knowledgeable exhibitors, and 2 plant tours to provide a well-rounded educational experience! Plan Ahead. Register Early! Early Registration fee is $125. Registration increases to $150 after August 30th. In partnership with Texas A&M University Kingsville, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available. To register online or for additional information, visit www.asgmt.com. NEW for 2014! NGL Measurement Training Measurement Training to Meet Tomorrow's Needs. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014 AMERICAN GAS 21 http://www.asgmt.com http://www.asgmt.com

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American Gas - August/September 2014