Can Oil Dealers Convert Too?

With the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection's recently issued draft energy strategy calling for a significant effort to encourage natural gas use instead of oil for home heating, a recent article on hartfordbusiness.com highlights a company that has lasted for 86 years by adapting to the energy trends of its times.  According to the article, Daniels Energy in Portland was founded in 1926 delivering firewood and coal for home heating.  Within a few years, the company began delivering oil too, and over the decades added heating system conversions, air conditioners, propane delivery, solar hot water systems, and even retail electricity sales to the services it offers. 

While oil dealers maintain that potentially losing half of their customers to natural gas would be devastating for the industry and its employees, companies like Daniels are also looking at the business opportunities that could arise from increased installation and servicing of natural gas equipment.  However, company president David Daniels adds that even though his company will be "fine" it won't be able to maintain the same number of employees it currently has.