Hi Mike,

I don't think anyone can accurately predict the long-term cost of
natural gas, but I tend to believe it will only go up... most likely,
way up.

Canada now supplies 90 per cent of U.S. imports and most of that gas
originates in Alberta. The bad news is that Alberta's fields are
rapidly maturing and production will soon begin its inevitable
decline.

But that's just part of the story. It takes 1,000 cubic feet of
natural gas to process each barrel of oil made from Alberta's tar
sands (add four barrels of fresh water to the mix while you're at it).
By 2015, these oil sands are expected to produce two million barrels
of oil per day. Now do the math.... multiple two million barrels by
1,000 cubic feet, then multiple by 365 days in a year. Anyone want to
guess where a good chunk of that Canadian gas will soon be going?

I don't know about you, but I get that queasy feeling in the pit of my
stomach. Oh, while we're at it, can anyone tell me where those eight
million barrels of water (per day) will go once they finish processing
all that oily, sticky tar? ... Someone? ... Anyone?

In regards to cooling, they work great. A heat pump with a SEER
rating of 20 or 21 is likely to be two to two-and-a-half times more
energy efficient than your current window units. I'm happy to say
they cool just as well as they heat.

Cheers,
Paul

Paul, another poster stated the cost on NG is going up, and I assume, might
even surpass electricso the HP is evenn more appealing. How does it cool in
the rooms in the summer?