How Bioheat® Fuel is Easing the Impact of Climate Change
Date: September 14, 2021
We’re Reducing Emissions with Every Gallon
The heating oil industry in Massachusetts is committed to helping to ease the impact of climate change with Bioheat® fuel — a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biofuels made from renewable sources.
Bioheat fuel is a pathway to reducing carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) related to greenhouse gases. The goal is to transition by 2030 to a B50 blend –50% biofuel and 50% heating oil– that’s called B50 Bioheat SuperPlus™. This blend will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in your home by 40%.
The B50 blend of Bioheat fuel will also continue to improve system efficiency and will push us closer to realizing a carbon-neutral future by 2050. The B50 blend is not an end goal, but rather a step on the journey to a completely renewable liquid heating fuel. In the coming years, we will be within reach of a fully renewable product–B100 Bioheat fuel.
Why Does Bioheat Fuel Generate Fewer Emissions?
Bioheat fuel is a blend of biodiesel and traditional petroleum-based heating oil. Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oils or animal fats, is considered a biogenic fuel that reduces carbon output 100%. That’s because the combustion of biofuels and other biogenic energy sources actually recycle carbon dioxide emissions through renewable plant materials and other biomass feedstocks. That’s why you’ll be hearing a lot about net-zero carbon emissions in the years ahead.
Bioheat Fuel: Comfortable, Renewable and Efficient
There are so many benefits to living in a home that relies on Bioheat fuel for warmth. Here are the key ones you’ll want to know.
Comfort. When compared with traditional heating oil, rest assured that Bioheat fuel will still deliver plenty of heat energy—measured in British thermal units (Btu’s)—to easily keep your home warm and comfortable. The flame inside the heating oil system burns hotter than other types of systems. As a result, homeowners who use Bioheat fuel enjoy warm homes with evenly distributed heat—a big comfort during all those cold days and nights of winter.
A Renewable Energy Source. Bioheat fuel blends must meet rigorous standards set by the American Society of Testing & Materials. Bioheat fuel is one of the cleanest burning heating sources for your home. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions significantly, and no changes to your existing heating oil system are necessary if you want to use Bioheat fuel. That’s why Massachusetts governor, Charlie Baker, issued his Leading by Example Executive Order last spring mandating the use of at least a 10% blend of biofuel in all state buildings that use heating oil.
Efficient. Modern, efficient heating oil systems, combined with highly refined Bioheat fuel, help homeowners achieve the same amount of warmth while using much less fuel. The latest oil heating systems are small, smart, and super-efficient and can save you, on average, about 20% or more on your annual heating costs.
The heating oil industry in Massachusetts is committed to helping to ease the impact of climate change with Bioheat® fuel — a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biofuels made from renewable sources.