{ "meta": { "title": "D-Central — Heating Fuel Cost Comparison", "description": "Delivered heating cost ($/MMBTU) across 10 fuels including the net cost of ASIC Bitcoin-mining heat. Energy contents are physical constants; prices are representative 2026 Canadian averages and vary by region and time.", "generated": "2026-06-21T02:34:13+00:00", "version": "1.0", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "license_name": "CC BY 4.0", "source": "https://d-central.tech/heating-fuel-cost-comparison/", "record_count": 10, "provenance": "Physical energy constants + the D-Central heat calculators; representative 2026 Canadian fuel prices (NRCan-style). The ASIC rows convert all electricity to heat at 3,412 BTU/kWh.", "disclaimer": "Fuel prices vary by region, supplier and season. Delivered cost = price / (energy content x efficiency). Confirm your local rate before deciding; the ASIC-net figure depends on Bitcoin price, difficulty and your electricity rate." }, "rows": [ { "id": "asic-heat-net", "fuel": "ASIC Bitcoin heat (net of mining revenue)", "unit": "kWh", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.0118", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "3412", "efficiency_or_cop": "100% (COP 1.0)", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "3.46", "notes": "Subtracts a conservative ~$0.06/kWh CAD mining-revenue credit (~28 J/TH miner, ~$38/PH/day hashprice, 1.37 USD/CAD, haircut for pool fees/downtime) from the $0.0718/kWh electricity - so net heat is far cheaper than gas. With more efficient hardware or higher hashprice the credit can exceed the electricity cost and net heat cost goes to zero or negative: heat you are paid to produce. Volatile with BTC price/difficulty.", "source": "On-site method (effective cost = rate - mining offset) + conservative 2026 hashprice/FX assumption" }, { "id": "ashp", "fuel": "Air-source heat pump (ASHP)", "unit": "kWh", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.0718", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "3412", "efficiency_or_cop": "COP 3.0", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "7.01", "notes": "COP 3.0 per the on-site calculator (generic seasonal ASHP is ~2.7, so slightly optimistic); same Quebec-rate caveat. Calc: 0.0718 / (3412 * 3.0 / 1e6).", "source": "On-site calculator (heat pump COP 3) + physical constant 3412 BTU/kWh" }, { "id": "cold-climate-ashp", "fuel": "Cold-climate ASHP", "unit": "kWh", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.0718", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "3412", "efficiency_or_cop": "COP 2.2", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "9.57", "notes": "Conservative seasonal COP 2.2 for sub-zero operation (manufacturers rate ~2.0-2.3 cold); same Quebec-rate caveat. Calc: 0.0718 / (3412 * 2.2 / 1e6).", "source": "Physical constant 3412 BTU/kWh + cold-climate seasonal COP" }, { "id": "natural-gas-condensing", "fuel": "Natural gas (condensing furnace)", "unit": "m3", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.49", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "35543", "efficiency_or_cop": "95%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "14.51", "notes": "Representative 2026 Canadian residential gas price (varies by province/season); matches the on-site calculator gas constant ($0.05/kWh-thermal = $14.65/MMBTU). Calc: 0.49 / (35543 * 0.95 / 1e6).", "source": "On-site heat calculator + NRCan (37.5 MJ/m3 = 35543 BTU/m3) + representative 2026 CAD price" }, { "id": "natural-gas-mid-eff", "fuel": "Natural gas (mid-efficiency furnace)", "unit": "m3", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.49", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "35543", "efficiency_or_cop": "80%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "17.23", "notes": "Same gas price in a non-condensing furnace - shows the efficiency penalty vs a condensing unit. Calc: 0.49 / (35543 * 0.80 / 1e6).", "source": "NRCan (37.5 MJ/m3 = 35543 BTU/m3) + representative 2026 CAD price" }, { "id": "electric-resistance", "fuel": "Electric resistance baseboard", "unit": "kWh", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.0718", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "3412", "efficiency_or_cop": "100%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "21.04", "notes": "At the on-site Quebec residential default $0.0718/kWh; national average rates (~$0.13-0.18/kWh) roughly double this. Calc: 0.0718 / (3412 * 1.0 / 1e6).", "source": "On-site calculator (resistance cost = electricity rate) + physical constant 3412 BTU/kWh (COP 1.0)" }, { "id": "asic-heat-gross", "fuel": "ASIC Bitcoin heat (gross)", "unit": "kWh", "price_cad_per_unit": "0.0718", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "3412", "efficiency_or_cop": "100% (COP 1.0)", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "21.04", "notes": "An ASIC converts ~100% of its electricity to heat at 3412 BTU/kWh - identical to a resistance baseboard - so its gross heat cost equals electric resistance at the same rate (shown here at the Quebec default $0.0718/kWh). Calc: 0.0718 / (3412 * 1.0 / 1e6).", "source": "On-site calculator (ASIC ~100% electricity-to-heat) + physical constant 3412 BTU/kWh" }, { "id": "wood-pellets", "fuel": "Wood pellets (pellet stove)", "unit": "ton (2,000 lb)", "price_cad_per_unit": "350", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "16000000", "efficiency_or_cop": "80%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "27.34", "notes": "Representative 2026 Canadian pellet price (~$350/ton; varies by region, bulk vs bag). Calc: 350 / (16000000 * 0.80 / 1e6).", "source": "Physical constant (8,000 BTU/lb x 2,000 lb = 16 MMBTU/ton) + representative 2026 CAD price" }, { "id": "heating-oil", "fuel": "Heating oil (#2)", "unit": "L", "price_cad_per_unit": "1.50", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "36588", "efficiency_or_cop": "85%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "48.23", "notes": "Representative 2026 Canadian #2 furnace oil (varies by region/season). Calc: 1.50 / (36588 * 0.85 / 1e6).", "source": "Physical constant (138,500 BTU/US gal = 36588 BTU/L) + representative 2026 CAD price" }, { "id": "propane", "fuel": "Propane", "unit": "L", "price_cad_per_unit": "1.05", "energy_content_btu_per_unit": "24170", "efficiency_or_cop": "90%", "delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu": "48.27", "notes": "Representative 2026 Canadian residential propane (varies widely by region/delivery). Calc: 1.05 / (24170 * 0.90 / 1e6).", "source": "Physical constant (91,500 BTU/US gal = 24170 BTU/L) + representative 2026 CAD price" } ] }