For a complete picture of an appliance’s energy use – consider the source. That means going beyond the appliance rating to the efficiency of the energy source’s delivery process.

As a primary energy source, natural gas is extracted from the earth. It’s then transported directly to your home through a network of underground pipelines for the safest and most reliable delivery. Because of this exceptionally efficient system, more than 90 percent of the energy is used directly by your natural gas appliances, such as your furnace, water heater, clothes dryer and cooktop to name just a few.

Electricity, because it is generated from other resources, is a secondary energy source and relies on an inherently inefficient system of delivery. The process of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity to your home results in only about 30 percent of the energy being used to run appliances. And in this country, the resource most often used to generate electricity is coal which is responsible for 93 percent of sulfur dioxide generated by the electric utility industry.

So consider the source, and choose your energy wisely. By choosing natural gas appliances over their electric counterparts, you are using a more efficient energy source and helping the environment. And even better, you are lowering your electric usage and reducing the need for more new power plants.

Source: US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration