12月14日，2014
在美国寒冷地区，天然气是主要热源
美国不同地区的天然气消耗差异很大。家庭取暖用天然气主要位于中西部和东北部。在即将到来的冬季，东北中部人口普查区家庭的天然气预计消耗最大，但消耗量低于去年冬季。2013-14年冬季，集中供气区的极寒天气导致了异乎寻常高的天然气消耗。
居民和商业天然气消耗主要用于取暖。东北中部人口普查区（威斯康星州，密歇根，伊利诺斯，印第安娜，俄亥俄州）是美国居民和商业用天然气消耗最大的地区，2013年这一地区居民天然气消耗占全美比例为28%，商业天然气消耗为24%。
由于东北中部人口普查区拥有最多的居民采暖用天然气家庭，天气变化（由采暖天数衡量）带来的影响比其他地区（见下图）更大。天气带给南大西洋人口普查区采暖天数的变化与太平洋、中大西洋人口普查区（各有1020万户和940万户家庭依赖天然气取暖）相近。这种变化可能来自二次热源（天然气），如天然气壁挂炉或作为空气源热泵的补充热源。当气温降至一个定值（通常在冻结温度左右），热泵就得依赖补充热源。
美国海洋和大气治理署预计今年冬季气温将偏低。新近发布的《短期能源和冬季燃料展望》预计居民和商业用天然气价格将高于去年，主要是因为整个2014年（用户开始购买来年冬季用天然气时）天然气价格水平高于去年，当下的天然气价格也高于去年。然而，EIA预计居民用采暖花费将降低，这是因为届时天然气消耗更少。
撰稿人：凯特·泰勒（Katie Teller）
November 14, 2014
Natural gas is the dominant heating fuel in colder parts ofthe country
Natural gas consumption varies widely by region of the country. Themajority of households that heat with natural gas are located in the Midwestand Northeast. In the upcoming winter months, homes in the East North CentralCensus division are expected to consume the most natural gas, but not as muchas last winter. Extreme cold weather in natural gas-intensive regions causedunexpectedly high consumption during the winter of 2013-14.
Residential and commercial consumers use natural gas primarily for space heating. The East North Central Censusdivision (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) is the largestresidential and commercial natural gas-consuming division in the country,making up 28% of all residential consumption and 24% of commercial consumption in2013.
Because the East North Central Census division has the largest number ofhouseholds heating with natural gas, its collective response to changes inweather (as measured by heating degree days) is greater than in any otherregion (see maps below). The response to changes in heating degree days in theSouth Atlantic Census division (which has about 6 million homes that heatprimarily with natural gas) is similar to that of the Pacific and Mid-AtlanticCensus divisions (where 10.2 and 9.4 million households, respectively, heatwith natural gas). This response may be attributable to natural gas used as asecondary heat source, like in natural gas fireplaces or as the supplementalheat source to air-source heat pumps. When temperatures drop below a certainthreshold (usually around freezing temperatures), heat pumps rely on asupplemental heat source.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects thattemperatures this coming winter will be closer to normal. The most recent Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlookprojects that residential and commercial prices will be higher than they werelast year, largely because through 2014 (when utilities began buying naturalgas for the upcoming winter) prices have averaged higher than year-ago levels,and are currently higher than a year ago. However, EIA projects lowerresidential heating bills for consumers because of lower consumption.
Principal contributor: Katie Teller
在美国寒冷地区，天然气是主要热源
美国不同地区的天然气消耗差异很大。家庭取暖用天然气主要位于中西部和东北部。在即将到来的冬季，东北中部人口普查区家庭的天然气预计消耗最大，但消耗量低于去年冬季。2013-14年冬季，集中供气区的极寒天气导致了异乎寻常高的天然气消耗。
居民和商业天然气消耗主要用于取暖。东北中部人口普查区（威斯康星州，密歇根，伊利诺斯，印第安娜，俄亥俄州）是美国居民和商业用天然气消耗最大的地区，2013年这一地区居民天然气消耗占全美比例为28%，商业天然气消耗为24%。
由于东北中部人口普查区拥有最多的居民采暖用天然气家庭，天气变化（由采暖天数衡量）带来的影响比其他地区（见下图）更大。天气带给南大西洋人口普查区采暖天数的变化与太平洋、中大西洋人口普查区（各有1020万户和940万户家庭依赖天然气取暖）相近。这种变化可能来自二次热源（天然气），如天然气壁挂炉或作为空气源热泵的补充热源。当气温降至一个定值（通常在冻结温度左右），热泵就得依赖补充热源。
美国海洋和大气治理署预计今年冬季气温将偏低。新近发布的《短期能源和冬季燃料展望》预计居民和商业用天然气价格将高于去年，主要是因为整个2014年（用户开始购买来年冬季用天然气时）天然气价格水平高于去年，当下的天然气价格也高于去年。然而，EIA预计居民用采暖花费将降低，这是因为届时天然气消耗更少。
撰稿人：凯特·泰勒（Katie Teller）
November 14, 2014
Natural gas is the dominant heating fuel in colder parts ofthe country
Natural gas consumption varies widely by region of the country. Themajority of households that heat with natural gas are located in the Midwestand Northeast. In the upcoming winter months, homes in the East North CentralCensus division are expected to consume the most natural gas, but not as muchas last winter. Extreme cold weather in natural gas-intensive regions causedunexpectedly high consumption during the winter of 2013-14.
Residential and commercial consumers use natural gas primarily for space heating. The East North Central Censusdivision (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) is the largestresidential and commercial natural gas-consuming division in the country,making up 28% of all residential consumption and 24% of commercial consumption in2013.
Because the East North Central Census division has the largest number ofhouseholds heating with natural gas, its collective response to changes inweather (as measured by heating degree days) is greater than in any otherregion (see maps below). The response to changes in heating degree days in theSouth Atlantic Census division (which has about 6 million homes that heatprimarily with natural gas) is similar to that of the Pacific and Mid-AtlanticCensus divisions (where 10.2 and 9.4 million households, respectively, heatwith natural gas). This response may be attributable to natural gas used as asecondary heat source, like in natural gas fireplaces or as the supplementalheat source to air-source heat pumps. When temperatures drop below a certainthreshold (usually around freezing temperatures), heat pumps rely on asupplemental heat source.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects thattemperatures this coming winter will be closer to normal. The most recent Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlookprojects that residential and commercial prices will be higher than they werelast year, largely because through 2014 (when utilities began buying naturalgas for the upcoming winter) prices have averaged higher than year-ago levels,and are currently higher than a year ago. However, EIA projects lowerresidential heating bills for consumers because of lower consumption.
Principal contributor: Katie Teller
