With Bioheat® fuel continuing to make inroads across Michigan, you may be wondering how it compares to the heating oil we’ve used in the past to heat our homes.
First, it’s important to know that Bioheat fuel basically works the same as traditional heating oil. You can use it in existing home heating oil systems without modification to your equipment. Here’s the key difference: Bioheat fuel represents an enhanced eco-friendly alternative to conventional heating fuel. It also reduces heating system maintenance issues while cutting emissions. And just like conventional heating oil, it has an incredibly high BTU content!
Bioheat fuel is a blend of renewable biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur heating oil. Biodiesel is a gallon-for-gallon replacement for petroleum fuel. Biodiesel fuel is produced from organic and recycled ingredients like:
Blended with ultra-low-sulfur heating oil, biodiesel is an excellent and practical way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Biodiesel is a biogenic fuel that can positively impact carbon reduction. By contrast, when traditional fossil fuels that do not contain biodiesel are burned, they take carbon that was stored in soil and put 100% of that carbon into the atmosphere.
The combustion of biofuels and other biogenic energy sources recycles carbon-dioxide emissions through renewable plant materials and other biomass feedstocks.
Bioheat fuel cuts harmful greenhouse gas emissions significantly because biodiesel achieves enormous emissions reductions compared to petroleum. Using Bioheat fuel instead of traditional heating oil means reductions not only in carbon dioxide, but in sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and mercury.
The production process for Bioheat fuel has many benefits. It diverts waste products from landfills and puts them to good use. It also supports American farmers and biodiesel producers.
The production process puts excess oil and fats to good use. Food is never sacrificed for fuel in the production of Bioheat fuel. Bioheat fuel is sourced and produced in the United States, supporting local farmers, local industries and local economies.
The overall goal is to transition to even higher levels of Bioheat fuel, and eventually to 100% biodiesel, which will further reduce our carbon footprint and get us closer to carbon neutrality.
Besides the fact that heating oil is moving toward a more
carbon-neutral future thanks to Bioheat fuel, heating oil has always been an energy-efficient and safe fuel.
Heating oil generates nearly 140,000 Btu of heat for every gallon burned and warms a home evenly and efficiently.
This is because the flame in a heating oil system burns much hotter than many other energy systems. This produces more heat and hotter air or water. So, when the outdoor temperatures are below freezing, that powerful heat output can help keep your home as cozy as ever.
Technology has also brought great improvements in heating oil equipment efficiency that has reduced annual fuel consumption by 20% or more. This has saved heating oil consumers a lot of money on fuel.
Today’s heating equipment regularly achieves efficiency levels of 85% or better. And thanks to the advent of Bioheat fuel, we are seeing more super high-efficiency systems available in the U.S. These systems achieve efficiency levels of 90% or more!
Heating oil has always been a remarkably safe home heating fuel. First, heating oil cannot explode. The fuel that sits in your tank is as likely to explode as the water in your backyard swimming pool. It’s that safe.
Plus, with a heating oil tank on your property, you can always count on having a secure, on-site supply. Heating oil is carefully transported and expertly handled by highly trained professionals, who use equipment and techniques that keep safety at the forefront.
