Category Archives: Biofuels

27Nov/23

NORA Looks at Indoor Air Quality

A Look into Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality has become a newsworthy topic as certain pollutions have been identified as health hazards by, among others, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It has been suggested that combustion powered home heating appliances are some of the sources of these indoor pollutants. As combustion powered heaters make up almost 75% of all heating appliances, NORA deemed an investigation was in order.

Of particular interest is particulate matter (PM), which is known to have both human health and negative environmental impact. NORA, at its Liquid Heating Fuels Research Center in Plainview, NY, took a deep look into PM in home living spaces to determine whether liquid fuel combustion devices negatively impacted indoor air quality.

Fortunately, a low-cost and effective method of measuring PM has recently entered the marketplace. Named PurpleAir sensors, these devices measure PM, PM2.5 and PM10 (the subscripts denote the particle sizes in micrometers [µm]) in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3), which indicates the actual amount of particulates found in the air. Using dual laser-based particle counters, they can measure particles larger than 0.3 microns with counting efficiency, reported by the manufacturer to be 50% at 0.3 microns and 98% at > 0.5 microns.

The PurpleAir map shows installed units around the world and their PM measurements. Map.purpleair.com

Test Sites

The PurpleAir units can be installed to perform stand-alone, storing its readings offline, or connected to the internet to display the PM2.5 concentrations at its location on a worldwide map of an increasingly expanding network. For the NORA study, only offline measurements were used in houses with primarily a liquid-fuel-fired heating appliance. Eight homes—five in NY, two in MA and one in NJ—were chosen for this study. Seven of the eight were selected because they contained a liquid-fuel-fired heating system. The other was chosen to record data in the den area (kitchen and living room with a fireplace) during a time when the homeowner planned to cook and light a fire in a wood stove. A set of PurpleAir sensors was provided for each home. Typically, at least one indoor and one outdoor sensor was installed in each site. Four of the sites were fitted with a flue gas measurement sensor to indicate when the heating system was running.

Liquid fuel-fired boiler and furnace installations typically include barometric dampers, which are draft-operated “doors” that open to allow room air into the flue pipe to prevent high draft levels. High draft levels can change burner air fuel ratio and, in an extreme case, can destabilize a flame. Modern burners for liquid fuels have higher static pressure fans and are less influenced by these draft changes, but barometric dampers are commonly found in many installations. Barometric dampers may be a potential source of indoor air pollution as flue gas could spill into the room during startups. While this does not usually happen with modern equipment, the Purple Air sensors were placed as close as possible to the site barometric dampers to record possible spillage.

Correlation of PM Spikes
For some of the sites, the boiler room was found to have periodic spikes in PM2.5, but when paired with the “on” measurements of the flue gas sensor, it was shown that the heating system operation did not correlate to these spikes. One example is shown in Figure1, where you can see a plot of the PM2.5 concentrations (left y-axis) and the flue gas temperature (right y-axis) and the time (x-axis) over 24 hours. During this period, there was a major peak (close to 450 µg/m3 in PM2.5) concentration observed in the boiler room where the PurpleAir sensor was located approximately six feet from the boiler flue pipe. Upon consultation with the homeowner, it was found that he had performed soldering of metal pipes without ventilation in the boiler room. The flue gas temperature readings show the boiler was not operating nor did it operate during a period of approximately four hours before and approximately 12 hours after the soldering took place.

It was also found in the data from other sites that cooking and fireplace use had a major impact in indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Additionally, outdoor grilling also caused rises in indoor PM2.5 concentrations when doors and windows were left open to allow particulate matter to enter the home.

particulate matter and flue gas temp chart 1-gigapixel-low_res-scale-4_00x

Figure 1: Boiler room PM2.5 and flue gas temperature data in a 24-hour period where a high rise in PM is observed. Note: the spikes in PM do not happen when the boiler is in operation.

Correlation of PM Spikes
For some of the sites, the boiler room was found to have periodic spikes in PM2.5, but when paired with the “on” measurements of the flue gas sensor, it was shown that the heating system operation did not correlate to these spikes. One example is shown in Figure1, where you can see a plot of the PM2.5 concentrations (left y-axis) and the flue gas temperature (right y-axis) and the time (x-axis) over 24 hours. During this period, there was a major peak (close to 450 µg/m3 in PM2.5) concentration observed in the boiler room where the PurpleAir sensor was located approximately six feet from the boiler flue pipe. Upon consultation with the homeowner, it was found that he had performed soldering of metal pipes without ventilation in the boiler room. The flue gas temperature readings show the boiler was not operating nor did it operate during a period of approximately four hours before and approximately 12 hours after the soldering took place.

It was also found in the data from other sites that cooking and fireplace use had a major impact in indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Additionally, outdoor grilling also caused rises in indoor PM2.5 concentrations when doors and windows were left open to allow particulate matter to enter the home.

particulate matte site 2-gigapixel-low_res-scale-4_00x

Figure 2: PM2.5 data from all measurement locations during the entire data collection period for Site 2, Note the repeated spikes in PM from fireplace (green line) and kitchen (blue line) use compared to the near-zero readings from the boiler operation (brown line).

Conclusion
These results are important as they indicate combustion in properly operating liquid heating appliances does not impact indoor air quality. To improve the health and safety of home dwellers, other household activities, such as cooking, fireplaces and outdoor grilling should be carefully examined.

19Sep/23

Dr. Jenny Frank talks with ICM

Indoor Comfort Marketing continues its interview series chatting with Dr. Jenny Frank, NORA Research Associate and Assistant Professor at SUNY, Morrisville, NY.

Dr.
Frank’s academic and research activities have been investigating the effectiveness and cost viability of various pathways to carbon reduction.

Wanting to make a difference.

Dr. Frank: I received my Ph.D. from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science & Forestry. I studied different types of renewable energy technologies and pathways.  I focused on different biomass-based pathways, such as bio-heat, biodiesel, solar photovoltaics, and wind-based pathways, to really understanding the technical and financial viability of deploying different types of resources. 

ICM: What drew you to this field in the first place, and then to pursue a Ph.D.?

Dr. Frank: I always really wanted to help the environment. As just one person, I thought, “How can I have the biggest impact?”  I am someone who, when I start something, I’m going to finish it. I really wanted to help others, as well. Therefore, my interest in the environment, in different types of energy, paired with a desire to help students, is what got me interested in becoming a professor of renewable energy. 

ICM: Can you tell me more about your particular area of study—the economic and technical viability of these new technologies? 

Dr. Frank: Much of my research focuses on a methodology called techno-economic analysis. Simply put, my research focuses on the technical and financial impacts of diverse renewable energy technologies and fuels. This is done to analyze their long-term impacts from an environmental and financial perspective. 

ICM: Is this real-world viability or just the academic exercise of studying? 

Dr. Frank: The studies that I do aren’t just theoretical. We’re looking at real-world data and projections, as well as historical data from past energy consumption. 

ICM: How did you narrow your focus down to heating from the broad-based studies of environmental science and forestry?

Dr. Frank: Among the different types of studies I worked on, one was a heating analysis.  We looked at several different pathways to understand the greenhouse gas emissions from each and whether they are affordable to deploy. We looked at air source heat pumps, natural gas, bioheat (a biomass blend), and then a baseline pathway looking at ULSD, your typical heating oil. That sparked my interest because I didn’t realize until I performed that study how beneficial using a bioheat blend could be, not only from a financial perspective but also from a greenhouse gas emissions perspective when we’re discussing emissions reductions.

ICM: Who commissioned that study? 

Dr. Frank: It was part of my Ph.D. dissertation, in collaboration with my advising professor and industry experts, who also authored this study. I had been thinking, “Okay, what would be the advantages of using a fuel such as biodiesel?”

ICM: What did you find in that study? 

Dr. Frank: We found that, when compared to alternative pathways, such as ULSD, as well as natural gas, the biomass-based fuel (biodiesel) has the advantage in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and also from a financial viability standpoint. This was a New York-based study; of course, depending on where you do the study, the results may differ depending on the data you utilize, such as fuel type and other inputs.

From a greenhouse gas standpoint, in terms of greatest reductions from the ULSD baseline, we found that the air source heat pump had the greatest reductions, and that was followed by the biodiesel blend. However, when it comes to financial viability, we found that the biodiesel blend was favorable. 

This study is currently published in a peer-reviewed journal. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me at jfrank@noraweb.org

ICM: You did some work with the National Biodiesel Board, now Clean Fuels Alliance America. I understand that they have a program to support young scientists in the low carbon fuels field.

Dr. Frank: That is a wonderful program called Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel that really helps educate young scientists/students, whether undergrad or graduate, who are interested in learning about biomass-based fuels. The program introduced me to an entire network of different professionals in the field, helped me get to conferences, supported me through participation in different research seminars and research talks in areas that I would never have thought of as a graduate. 

ICM: Is this an interactive program with continuing education?

Dr. Frank: Yes. I was the co-chair for some time, and I helped other students in the program, as well. It was a wonderful experience.  I hope that, in the future, we can establish a similar program, because it really helped spark my interest in the field. It also helped me in terms of my career prospects. 

ICM: You’re now a research associate with NORA, as well as an assistant professor at SUNY, Morrisville. How did you get on NORA’s radar or how did NORA get on yours?

Dr. Frank: NORA had read some of my research.

ICM: You have been working with NORA since the Spring of this year. Were you surprised at anything you saw there?

Dr. Frank: I didn’t realize, at first, that NORA had the Net Zero Carbon Home initiative. When I learned more, I thought what it was doing was amazing.  Now, it is one of the projects I am working on, and we have written a study that we hope to get published this year. It proves that that when we utilize solar photovoltaics in combination with B100 (ASTM 6751 biodiesel) fuels, we can achieve a net zero carbon home. It’s great that we can practice what we preach. 

ICM: Sounds like that was a pleasant surprise. From your perspective, what challenges are you seeing that the industry is going to have to address? 

Dr. Frank: I think that there is this mentality that we can’t move towards both electrification and biomass-based fuels. It must be one or the other.  It’s a fact that both electrification and biomass-based fuels both can help us decarbonize, whether it’s at the Federal level, the State level or more of a local level. I think the challenge is this mentality, this mindset, that it’s either/or, not both as it really should be. We should all be working towards a common solution, which is reducing our greenhouse gas emissions through decarbonization. 

ICM: Do you see the movement to low-carbon biomass-based fuels happening? 

Dr. Frank: I’m seeing the education happen. I think a lot more needs to happen in terms of actually getting people to adopt low-carbon fuels, but I think it is happening. 

ICM: Look down the road, five or 10 years, do you personally have a vision for renewable liquid fuels in homes? I know you are “twentysomething” and I don’t like classifying people by generation, but there can be differences in attitudes, perceptions and vision. What’s your vision? 

Dr. Frank: If we can educate more homeowners on the benefits of utilizing Bioheat®—that it reduces carbon emissions and  our carbon footprint—and have them understand that  this is an affordable solution that is available now and clearly works from a technical perspective, I think that we can really expand and get homeowners, especially in my generation, to adopt this fuel. However, education is really important.  

ICM: The liquid heating fuels industry’s position is that by using low carbon fuels, greenhouse gas reductions can begin immediately. Has your research looked at that?

Dr. Frank: The time value of carbon was very important throughout my dissertation in terms of reducing our emissions now versus waiting for different technologies to be more affordable and commercial. Biofuels are commercially available now, we can access them, they’re affordable—why wouldn’t we currently want to reduce our emissions? Actually, a few of my studies looked at that—understanding what the monetary value of reducing our emissions is now, as well as considering what the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are when we reduce now versus waiting five years. 

ICM: Do five or ten years really make a difference in greenhouse gas emissions? 

Dr. Frank: Yes, at least in the literature that I’ve reviewed and in the studies that I’ve conducted. Yes, it does make a huge difference. I think we need to realize that and act on the notion that we can reduce our emissions today. Why wouldn’t we if we are capable? 

ICM:  Back to your twentysomething status, your friends are probably of similar age and similar sensibilities, and they might be very conscious about environmental issues. What do you tell them about your working in the heating oil industry? What’s that story for your generation? 

Dr. Frank: Most of my peers and colleagues make decisions based on their values; many in my generation act in a way that’s environmentally conscious and sustainable. We really do think about future generations. I tell them that a lot of the work that I’ve done—my Ph.D., dissertation and master’s degree—all focuses on reducing emissions and fostering sustainability. If you don’t believe the industries themselves, at least believe the science. Believe the facts in the peer-reviewed literature as well as my studies, and other studies that I’ve read, that support the fact that biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are alternatives, and this is one alternative that we can implement today. That’s what I tell a lot of my friends when they ask me about what I’ve done and what I’m doing.

I also talk to them about what I teach in my college classes. I teach the facts about different energy technologies and different fuels, and I have a whole unit of biomass-based fuels and technologies. I show them graphs and charts about emissions. It’s not just me working for a company that wants to promote its product; that’s not what I’m doing. I’m teaching students about the facts of energy technologies and energy policies; that’s what I’m trying to do at NORA as well, educate people about different types of fuels and different alternatives that are more sustainable than conventional fuels. 

The more I inform students of this, the more they understand, “Oh, this can be part of the solution to our energy crisis.”  Maybe when they’re buying a home or when their parents, grandparents or friends are looking at different alternatives, they will think about the information, the facts that I have seen through my research. If people understand the facts, and what is happening, whether it’s in the industry or in the literature, they can then make decisions based on the information and the data, and not just on what they’ve heard or on the opinions of others. ICM

 
25Jul/23

In the Loop with NORA

with NORA Podcast

New podcast series looks at how the liquid fuel heating industry lowers carbon emissions from homes along with an emphasis
on heating system efficiencies and technical education.

In this episode of In the Loop, we hear from three industry leaders at the 2023 Eastern Energy Expo about  the transition to low carbon liquid heating fuels. 

Up first,  we chat with Rick Bologna, VP of Westmore Fuel, to understand why dealers need to add biofuels to their product lineup now, as fuel and equipment advancements are making the transition to higher blend fuels more attainable. 

Next,  we talk with Cate Duffey, President of DE Duffey & Sons, and hear her perspective on incorporating higher blend fuels into a 125-year old company.

Finally, we speak to Dave Westerfield with Jennings Oil to learn how his company has progressed by including higher blends in their business operations. 

In the Loop takes a deeper look at research initiatives, equipment considerations, renewable fuels, carbon reduction and technical education, propelling us towards a low-carbon future. For more information, vis

To hear Episode 1 and future episodes, go to www.IntheLoopwithNORA.org or visit NORA.web.org.

In the Loop with NORA is also currently available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

10May/23

NORA at Eastern Energy Expo

NORA will have a strong educational and technical presence at the upcoming Eastern Energy Expo in Atlantic City, NJ.

Three important NORA Business Track sessions begin with In the Loop–New Business & Education Opportunities on Tuesday, May 23 at 8:15am in Room 419 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. This session features NORA’s President, Michael Devine and Director of Education, Bob O’Brien along with the introduction of NORA’s most recent team addition, Dr. Jenny Frank.

Immediately following will be Technical Innovations to Make the Transition to Low-Carbon Fuels Seamless and Effective presented by NORA’s Technical Director, Dr. Thomas Butcher.

On Wednesday, May 24 at 8am (breakfast provided by NORA and Clean Fuels America) in Room 412, NORA is hosting the Featured Session, The Industry’s Response to Carbon Reduction where you will hear a panel offering the most current information on the research, field work, personal experiences and future technologies to show how becoming a low carbon fuel marketer is well within the grasp of a liquid fuel heating retailer. The panel features Michael Devine and Dr. Thomas Butcher, NORA; Kevin Beckett, R.W. Beckett Corp.; Rich Lyons, Carlin Combustion Technologies; Jackie Hart, Hart Home Comfort; Jason Lawrence, Chevron/REG and moderator Don Farrell, Indoor Comfort Marketing.

As one of the 220 exhibitors at the Eastern Energy Expo Trade Show, NORA will be showing live-fire demonstrations of biodiesel and renewable diesel in its outdoor exhibit OD2.

NORA’s recently released podcast series, In the Loop with NORA will be on-hand at the expo to talk with a variety of industry experts about how the liquid fuels heating industry is removing carbon emissions from home heating.

The Eastern Energy Expo is the largest energy and indoor comfort event in the Northeast. You can find more about the NORA sessions, the entire Eastern Energy Expo program, the trade show and registration at the Eastern Energy Expo website.

27Apr/23

NORA Adds Research Associate

Dr. Jenny Frank has joined NORA as a Research Associate to further advance its work in the field of carbon reduction from home heating. Her time will be divided among NORA research strategies and projects while maintaining her position in academia.

Dr. Frank is an Assistant Professor of Renewable Energy at the State University of New York at Morrisville (SUNY Morrisville) where she teaches courses pertaining to energy systems, economics, and policy. She received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) where she studied renewable energy pathways. Dr. Frank’s research focuses on techno-economic analysis to qualify the long-term environmental, financial, and technical viability of diverse energy technologies and feedstocks. Dr. Frank has published several studies in various peer-reviewed journals. 

According to NORA’s Director of Research, Dr. Thomas Butcher. “Dr. Frank provides NORA with specific expertise on renewable energies and their long-term viability. As we continue to push further and further towards Zero-Carbon home heating, Dr. Frank will be a valuable asset to NORA and the liquid heating fuel industry.”

Michael Devine, NORA’ President added, “We are very pleased that Dr. Frank has joined the NORA team as a Research Associate. Dr. Frank and Dr. Butcher are going collaborate and continue to expand our activities at NORA, as well as identify additional research & development opportunities as we continue on the path to eliminating carbon from home heating.” 

03Apr/23

Stay “In the LOOP”

with New NORA Podcast

New podcast series looks at how the liquid fuel heating industry lowers carbon emissions from homes along with an emphasis
on heating system efficiencies and technical education.

NORA has released the first episode of its new podcast series In the Loop with NORA.

Episode 1 looks at how quickly and effectively low-carbon liquid fuels can be integral in reducing a homes carbon output to below zero. Hear how Dr. Thomas Butcher, NORA Technical Director, has converted his typical Long Island, NY house into a Net Zero Carbon Home by partnering Bioheat® fuel with solar panels. 

According to Dr. Butcher. “It shows that the liquid fuel industry has a pathway to achieve net-zero emissions very quickly. There is a strong value in reducing carbon emissions now…and we can do it.”

NORA’s President, Michael Devine offered his vision for the new series. “Future episodes of In the Loop with NORA will take a deeper look at research initiatives, equipment considerations, renewable fuels, carbon reduction and technical education. NORA and the entire liquid heating fuels industry have been on an accelerated path to eliminating carbon from home heating. In The Loop with NORA gives NORA the opportunity to share all this good technical & training information in an easy to digest and entertaining conversational format. With availability at NORAweb.org, along with major podcast platforms, In the Loop with NORA can be listened to almost anywhere.“

To hear Episode 1 and future episodes, go to www.IntheLoopwithNORA.org or visit NORA.web.org.

In the Loop with NORA is also currently available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

13Dec/22

UL Liquid Fuel Burner Safety Standard Amended to Include Biodiesel Blends Up To B100

On November 14, 2022 an update to the standard UL296 was published by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) which expands its scope to include liquid-fuel-fired burners intended for use with biodiesel blends of 20% to 100% (B20-B100) with heating oil. UL296 is the standard developed by Underwriters Laboratories for safety testing of liquid-fuel-fired burners.

Prior to this update, the UL standard included procedures for evaluation of burners for use with biodiesel blends up to B20. The updated standard includes the procedure and requirements for burners up to B20, including endurance of elastomers and seals in extended exposure to the fuels. Additionally, the updated standard has added a unique new test in which a burner is set-up for use with B100 as per manufacturer specifications. The fuel is then switched to heating oil without biodiesel included (B0), and no burner settings are modified. The burner still needs to operate cleanly and safely after this fuel change.

This new standard has been eagerly awaited by the liquid fuel heating industry as it allows for the development and market introduction of heating appliances rated to run on 100% low-carbon biodiesel, drastically reducing the carbon emissions of home heating systems.

A number of industry entities have been working towards this update of UL296, including NORA, Clean Fuels Alliance, Carlin Combustion Technologies and R.W. Beckett Corporation.

Michael Devine, NORA’s president said, “This standard update is most welcome as it accelerates the liquid fuel industry’s conversion to low-carbon home heating. The ever-increasing blends of biodiesel in our fuel eliminates more and more carbon, making liquid fuel heating an essential component in addressing climate change. Amending UL 296 allows liquid fuel appliance manufactures to provide equipment that aligns with the public policy requirements for carbon reduction. NORA has been able to demonstrate that a home heated with 100% biodiesel using solar panels to produce its electricity can become a Net-Zero home quickly and at an economically viable cost.”

Technicians Manual Now in Audio & Digital formats

In keeping with the National Oilheat Research Alliance’s (NORA) ongoing commitment to technician education and to enable access to educational materials, it has just released its Technicians Manual for Liquid Heating Fuels in audio format.

Each chapter of the manual is available in a standard .mp3 audio file that can be played on all mobile devices, as well as desktop computers. The audio follows the text of the manual allowing for multi-sensory learning. Additionally, each chapter is available to download in a .pdf format.

According to NORA’s president Michael Devine, “Making high quality learning resources available to liquid fuel heating technicians is one of NORA’s highest priorities. Whether used as a stand-alone resource or in conjunction with NORA’s technician certification program, the manual and its audio component can bring this material to an even wider range of students and technicians.”

The audio version of the manual, along with the pdfs and a link to purchase a hard copy can be found at NORA’s online education and resource center, Learning.NORAweb.org/manual.

Net Zero Carbon Home

Net Zero Carbon Home Update

08/18/2023

The need to lower carbon emissions has driven many industries to find alternative methods to minimize their contribution to a warming planet. The liquid fuel heating industry is no exception to that, and for many decades has been pursuing efficiency and, since the early 2000’s, has been working to develop a renewable and sustainable fuel. The use of renewable biodiesel to replace fossil-derived heating fuels is the most attractive and practical approach at present. Due to NORA research and efforts by manufacturers and fuel marketers alike, the use of higher blends of biodiesel with no. 2 heating oil has increased rapidly over the past few years.

A goal of demonstrating a house that is a net zero emitter of carbon has now been identified by NORA, labeled the Net Zero Carbon Home Project. This can be achieved by substituting the heating fuel with 100% biodiesel (or B100) and installing solar PV to generate renewable, carbon-free electricity for non-heating uses. Since biodiesel is not yet fully carbon neutral, the solar PV system would need to be sized to produce greater energy than what the home requires. The excess carbon-free electricity could then be transferred back to the grid and result in offsetting the small amount of carbon emissions from the biodiesel. A calculator was created by NORA that utilizes a number of parameters such as fuel usage and electricity consumption to calculate how much oversizing of the PV system was required to make the home carbon neutral.

The theoretical groundwork laid down using simple calculations has now allowed NORA to move into the next step: implementation of the theory into an actual home. Currently, NORA is working with various state organizations to find suitable homes for this project. Dr. Thomas Butcher, Director of Research of the NORA laboratory in Plainview, NY, installed solar PV panels in his home, which has been using B100. As of July 2023, this system has been operating with the PV and B100 for a full year.  The Table below, which uses the NORA calculator provides a summary of performance and carbon savings over this time.   

 

Based on the data and this analysis the Butcher home has been shown to be far better than net zero, actually reducing carbon emissions by over 2,000 lbs during the year relative to the baseline which included use of fossil heating oil.  Due in part to lower home electrical power consumption during this year than projected consumption based on usage history. Also, the annual output of the solar PV system was higher than was projected in the pre-installation analysis.

It should be noted that despite a significant air conditioning load in the summer, as shown by the blue bars, each of the summer months contributed to a lowering of the carbon intensity of the grid by producing more energy than was used in the house, as shown by the orange bars. 

Figure 1: Carbon emission comparison for Butcher home with and without proposed changes (B100 and solar PV)

Bioheated homes in combination with PV present a unique opportunity to lower their greenhouse gas emissions to zero. This is feasible with no public investment and provides a reduction to electricity costs in terms of administrative fees and taxes. This can also minimize the impact on the electrical grid particularly during winter months.

In the case presented here, the homeowner paid for the PV installation minus available state and federal rebates.  The payback time for this investment, based on electric power cost savings is estimated at 6.5 years.  

Inflation Reduction Act Recognizes Low-Carbon Liquid Heating Fuels for GHG Reductions

Congress and President Biden have recognized the critical role that the transition to low-carbon biofuels in homes heated with fuel oil will play in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), includes legislation that incentivizes the heating oil industry to improve the efficiency of its equipment while increasing the amount of biodiesel blended into the fuel. Both are essential in reaching the goal of reducing GHG emissions to zero. The IRA encourages the liquid heating fuels industry to continue to move forward with its transformation to a clean and green heating source.

This bill’s enactment was largely due to the efforts of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), representing the State that uses the most heating oil.The IRA provides for homeowner tax credits of $600 for each new oil/biofuel blend compatible heating appliance.

Congress has set two major steps/goals to qualify:
For equipment placed in service after Dec. 31, 2022, the equipment must meet 2021 Energy Star efficiencies and be suitable for a 20% blend of biodiesel or renewable diesel use.
For equipment placed in service after Dec. 31, 2026, the equipment must have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of at least 90% and be suitable for a 50% blend of biodiesel or renewable diesel use.  

Michael Devine, President of the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA), commented, “These are achievable goals for our industry. Most oil burner manufacturers are already compliant with the 20% biodiesel blend minimum for next year and plan to have models that meet the 2027 requirement of 50% biodiesel or renewable diesel in 2023. This is very exciting news as it indicates Congress’ endorsement of our industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions in heating fuels. It provides guideposts for a reasonable path forward in reducing greenhouse gases in fuel and improving equipment.”

The oil heating industry has been on the path to reducing GHG emissions for years with the widespread adoption of blending biodiesel (an advanced biofuel) into traditional heating oil. Additionally, States in the Northeast have included mandates or other incentives to include the blended fuel in their master energy plans. NORA, in concert with research partners such as Clean Fuel Alliance of America (CFAA), Brookhaven National Laboratory, oilfired heating equipment manufacturers and numerous heating oil retail marketers, has thoroughly tested, both in the laboratory and in the field, the blended fuels for safety, efficiency, reliability and GHG reductions.

Environmental groups that have been championing GHG reduction strategies had this to say about the IRA.

The Natural Resources Defense Council
“This is the most significant action the U.S. has ever taken to combat climate change. It will benefit the people of all 50 States—their health, their wallets, their homes and their future. And it will help the U.S. deliver on its undeniable responsibility to the rest of the world to do its part to address this global crisis. The House needs to come back quickly to cement this essential climate action. There is no time to waste. This bill is not perfect, but from a climate pollution perspective, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives—by a factor of 10.” 

The Rocky Mountain Institute“This legislation gives the U.S. a real chance to reach its Paris Agreement—while lowering costs for American households.”

The World Wildlife Fund
Among the most important provisions are the $9 billion in consumer home energy rebates. This includes 10 years of tax credits aimed at allowing American homes to run on more energy efficient and clean systems, which will save them money. 

With the passage of the IRA, homeowners can invest in new, more efficient and environmentally-beneficial heating systems with consumer federal tax incentives, provided by the Government. By upgrading their heating system, they will know they are taking the appropriate path towards a zero-carbon future.