In exchange for handling one master bill and coordinating delivery schedules, the owners bought a total of 15,000 gallons of kerosene last year at roughly 25 percent below the retail cash price. Cooperative fuel buying isn't a new concept. It's commonly used by companies and government. Dealers can give a better price when they deliver large volumes to a single group of commercial customers. But residential, neighborhood co-ops are a recent and growing trend, driven by high energy prices.
Dealers say they are getting more inquiries from organized groups of homeowners.
The one operated by the Coastal Estates II homeowners association, however, is an example of how some Maine residents can save money on heat by banding together. The co-op was conceived by Friedlander, who is retired and moved with his wife two years ago to the development. He also participated in a fuel co-op with innkeepers in Freeport, where he owns a bed and breakfast. The homes were originally heated with electricity. When that became too costly, most owners put kerosene heaters in their living or dining rooms, fed by tanks installed in attached garages.