{"meta":{"title":"D-Central \u2014 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":"2026-08-16T16:28:21+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":"0.01065","energy_content_btu_per_unit":"3412","efficiency_or_cop":"100% (COP 1.0)","delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu":"3.12","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 $0.07065\/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":"0.07065","energy_content_btu_per_unit":"3412","efficiency_or_cop":"COP 3.0","delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu":"6.90","notes":"COP 3.0 per the on-site calculator (generic seasonal ASHP is ~2.7, so slightly optimistic); same Quebec-rate caveat (Rate D tier 1, $0.07065\/kWh). Calc: 0.07065 \/ (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":"0.07065","energy_content_btu_per_unit":"3412","efficiency_or_cop":"COP 2.2","delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu":"9.41","notes":"Conservative seasonal COP 2.2 for sub-zero operation (manufacturers rate ~2.0-2.3 cold); same Quebec-rate caveat (Rate D tier 1, $0.07065\/kWh). Calc: 0.07065 \/ (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":"0.07065","energy_content_btu_per_unit":"3412","efficiency_or_cop":"100%","delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu":"20.71","notes":"At the Quebec residential rate, Hydro-Quebec Rate D tier 1 = $0.07065\/kWh (Art. 2.5, eff. 2026-04-01); national average rates (~$0.13-0.18\/kWh) roughly double this. Calc: 0.07065 \/ (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":"0.07065","energy_content_btu_per_unit":"3412","efficiency_or_cop":"100% (COP 1.0)","delivered_cost_cad_per_mmbtu":"20.71","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 Hydro-Quebec Rate D tier 1, $0.07065\/kWh). A home space-heating ASIC stays well under the 50 kW threshold that would trigger the mandatory Rate CB blockchain tariff. Calc: 0.07065 \/ (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"}]}