I am thankful that the power industry is looking pretty good. Maybe a few problems but no collapse.

Now that it is colder, even in Florida, I have been chopping wood. Oak is very hard to split and chop. I am thankful that I do not have to provide my own energy. I would much rather work at what I do and pay someone else to provide my energy.

I have been wondering how much wood it would take to provide the energy we are use to. A/C and heat, water heaters, lights, toasters, microwaves, coffeemakers, sprinkler pumps, computers, lamps, garage door openers, typewriters, fax and copy machines, portable phones, etc. etc. etc.

Are there any power industry people that might have any idea how much wood that you would need to chop to provide the average household the energy it uses? Just a SWAG, not an exact amount. Seems to me it would have to be at least a cord or 2 each week.

Thanks again to Florida Power & Light (and actually all power producers/distributors). They do there job so well, that no one notices or is thankful to them until there is a problem.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999

Answers

Norm,

I'm not going to do all the math for you, that would take all the fun out of it. But here's enough to get you started.

3,413 BTU's = 1,000 watts = 1.34 HP.

BTU's in a cord of wood:

Cedar............ 15.5 million

Pine............. 16.9 million

Maple............ 24.0 million

White Oak........ 31.5 million

Apple............ 33.0 million

So, you can see it really depends on which wood you choose, and this is only a small sample. But it also points out the wisdom of that old homesteader saying, "An Apple a day keeps the Chill-blains away." Or it was something along that line. Forget the exact wording. Probably Bonnie has it in her research file somewhere. Near the Grimm stories.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 1999