NORA has released the results of an 18-month field study examining the use of 100% renewable liquid heating fuels in existing oil-fired heating systems. The study included 121 boilers, furnaces and water heaters at residential and light commercial locations in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts using blends of renewable diesel and biodiesel. Importantly, the existing tanks were not emptied or cleaned and the burners were not replaced or retuned before the renewable fuels were introduced, providing a real-world look at how these fuels perform in existing systems.
According to NORA, combustion performance remained within manufacturers’ specifications at nearly all of the sites, and the study found no meaningful increase in fuel-related service requirements compared with operation on conventional heating oil. The research also found that existing tank conditions, including water, sediment and microbial contamination, had a greater impact on long-term fuel quality than the renewable fuel blends themselves.
Overall, NORA concluded that renewable diesel/biodiesel blends can serve as practical replacements for No. 2 heating oil in existing systems with few or no modifications, while routine maintenance and proper tank care remain important.
NORA President Michael Devine will be joining us at the Empire State Energy Conference at Turning Stone, October 12–13, and will discuss the study, NORA’s latest research and other important industry initiatives.
