What’s In The Future For Heating Oil?
As efforts to reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions remain a top priority in the heating oil industry, more and more households and businesses are also gaining an understanding of what it all means—and the great importance of this progress.
In 2019, hundreds of leaders from the industry passed a resolution that laid out what oilheat’s progress needs to look like over the next 30 years.
The Heating Oil Industry’s Plan For The Future
Here’s a breakdown of what they established:
- By 2023: Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 15% (based on 1990 levels)
- By 2030: Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 40%
- By 2050: We achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
The Use Of Bioheat® Fuel Makes This Possible
In New Jersey, many gallons of heating oil are classified as Bioheat fuel, which is a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biofuels. A non-toxic, degradable renewable liquid fuel, the biofuel that’s blended with heating oil to create Bioheat fuel is generally produced by agricultural byproducts, including used cooking oil, animal fats, inedible corn oil, soybean oil and canola oil.
While most of the Bioheat fuel is in the B5 range (95% heating oil and 5% biofuel blend), it’s expected that B20 will soon be the norm with even higher blends to follow. The higher blends will lead to an even cleaner, greener, more renewable liquid fuel.
Right now, Bioheat fuel is the only home energy source that can make an immediate impact on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for our climate. The heating oil industry’s embrace of renewable Bioheat fuel is transforming home heating and helping to create a better future.
What’s most exciting is that the industry’s ambitious objectives are achievable. In 2020, two independent studies on the feasibility of accomplishing these emissions reductions goals validated the industry’s plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 with renewable Bioheat fuel.
Higher Equipment Efficiencies
Today’s heating equipment regularly achieves efficiency levels of 85% or better. With the introduction of higher blends of Bioheat fuel, we will start to see super high-efficiency systems available in the U.S. These systems will achieve efficiency levels of 90% or more! See how much you can save with a new system.
Ultra-Modern Oil Storage Tanks
Furnaces and boilers aren’t the only types of heating oil equipment that have improved substantially over the years. There have been major advancements in heating oil storage tanks too!
Homeowners prefer to have their oil tanks easily accessible, either in their basement or outside their home. Aboveground tanks are smaller, easier to work with and provide extra protection.
Today’s tank technology is truly impressive. Some aboveground tanks are double-walled to give homeowners complete peace of mind. Plus, some tanks boast 20-year and 30-year warranties.
When it comes time to sell your home, an aboveground tank will make your property much more marketable. Today’s aboveground tanks look a lot more attractive than the ones you might have seen at your grandparents’ house decades ago!