www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | JULY 2014 35
In EuropE
For a European perspective, and for comparison to U.S. mar-
ket trends, Christian Küchen, general manager of the Institute for
Heating & Oil Technology in Germany, delivered an update on
heating legislation in the European Union, along with highlights of
developments in selected national markets.
The European Union has set a goal of a 20% reduction in green-
house gas emissions by 2020, Küchen said. The EU is emphasizing
efficiency of equipment and buildings to help reach that goal.
Seventy percent of new, installed boilers in Europe are condens-
ing units, Küchen reported. Labels to identify high-efficiency boilers
are scheduled to be introduced in the European market next year.
In Germany, heating oil sales are down 50% from twenty years
ago. Part of the decrease is attributable to more efficient boilers,
complemented with use of wood heat.
Germany switched to ultra-
low sulfur heating oil over the
past two years, Küchen said.
Though the standard is less
than 50 parts per million in
practice it is less than 10 ppm,
he said. The improved effi-
ciency of oil-fired equipment,
complemented with the use
of alternative energy sources
such as wood, results in longer
storage times for heating oil,
in some cases as long as two to
three years, Küchen noted.
Denmark, with a popu-
lation of approximately 5.6
million, and about 200,000
heating oil customers, has
banned heating oil equipment
for new buildings, Küchen
said. The ban was imple-
mented as a way to reach greenhouse gas emissions targets and to
reduce dependency on imports, Küchen said.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Denmark, with about 200,000 heating oil
customers, has banned heating oil equipment
for new buildings, said Christian Küchen, gen-
eral manager of the Institute for Heating & Oil
Technology, in Germany.
l F O N
Seventy percent of new, installed boilers in Europe are
condensing units, Küchen reported. Labels to identify
high-efficiency boilers are scheduled to be introduced
in the European market next year.
