A varied assembly of 50 industry professionals met in Newport, RI to hear about the latest in oilheat technology advances. The workshop, hosted by the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) and crafted by NORA’s Director of Research, Dr. Thomas Butcher, featured 21 presenters covering topics under four major categories: Advanced Burner Concepts, Ultra Low Sulfur Heating Oil and Premium Fuels, Biofuels and Advanced Equipment. Continue reading
The National OIlheat Research Alliance has released it complete financial statements for the years 2014 and 2015. Click here.
The National Oilheat Research Alliance and two Oilheating associations recently celebrated the opening of a new research and training facility designed specifically for Oilheating fuels and renewabls, such as and Bioheat® fuel.
One of NORA’s most useful and helpful tools, the Fuel Savings Analysis Calculator is currently in the final stages of a major update. The new and improved FSA Calculator 2.0 will provide a number of never-before-seen features, as well as powerful and streamlined enhancements to the existing platform.
Register here to receive an email update when FSA 2.0 is available.
Successful research, development and demonstrations grants in the past ranged from $20,000 to $350,000. All projects will be managed by NORA’s Liquid Fuels Research Center (LFRC).
NORA PON No. 2016-001 seeks proposals to support the development,demonstration,and commercialization of Oilheat
technologies and systems in the following categories:
Category A: System Level Controls
Category B: New Appliances
Category C: Other New Ideas
Under PON No.2016-001, NORA plans to award multiple cost-shared contracts in Categories A through C up to a total of $350,000 for each award.
This funding allocation may be adjusted based upon the quantity and quality of the proposals received.
There is no minimum project funding amount per project award.
Proposals are due June 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Four new books now available…Advanced Hydronics, Advanced Air Flow, Advanced Efficiency and Advanced Venting.
Oilheat service technicians wishing to upgrade their NORA Silver Certification to the prestigious Gold level now have a revised and updated Gold program to follow.
To achieve Gold Certification status, a Silver Certification is a prerequisite and the technician must successfully complete four of eight Gold certification topic modules.
Currently, six of the eight modules are available for credit including four brand new releases by NORA: Advanced Air Flow, Advanced Hydronics, Advanced Efficiency and Advanced Venting. Additionally, NORA will be releasing Advanced Controls and Advanced Steam in the near future. The remaining two, Oil Tank Installation and Maintenance and BPI’s program Building Science Principles Reference Guide are already in place. Continue reading
The decade from 2004 through 2014 was one of the most challenging ever for the oilheating industry. Warm winters, high and volatile fuel prices and strong political and environmental movements against hydrocarbon fuels all converged to make a difficult time for both heating oil suppliers and consumers.
Fortunately, the industry has been rewarded with a collapse in fuel prices- currently the lowest crude prices in 11 years. Additionally, through the leadership of NORA and numerous state and regional associations working with NORA, the industry has begun to transition to low-carbon and renewable fuels.
The next step is to make sure oilheat customers aware of these important positive changes so they will know their loyalty to oilheat has been rewarded.
The New York Oil Heating Association (NYOHA) is helping a teacher in Bronx, NY, incorporate clean-burning Bioheat® fuel as a teaching tool in an interdisciplinary approach to HVAC training.
Peter Gonzalez is teaching the science of Bioheat® fuel – as well as math, chemistry and English – to 17 Bronx Design and Construction Academy juniors this fall, with NYOHA’s support. In addition to arranging for 150 gallons of pure B100 Bioheat® fuel and equipment to be donated by AMERIgreen Energy and Schildwachter Oil Company, Rocco Lacertosa, NYOHA’s CEO and a member of the school’s HVAC Advisory Board, recently visited the classroom to speak directly to the students. Continue reading
Homeowners can expect lower heating prices both short and long-term.
Homeowners who heat their houses with heating oil will see lower prices this winter and for the foreseeable future. Dramatic increases in production combined with ample and increasing inventories have driven the price of home heating oil down to levels not seen in years.
Prices have dropped across the entire heating oil marketing footprint. Heating oil closed on the NYMEX this past Friday, October 2 approximately 15% lower than the same time last year and almost half the price at the close of October 4, 2013—just two years ago. Continue reading