The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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12 JANUARY 2017 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com T he oil heating industry is entering a renaissance with a fuel that is cleaner, less expensive and more reliable than ever, Tom Santa, incoming chairman of the National Oilheat Research Alliance, told an industry gathering. Santa, CEO of Santa Energy, Bridgeport, Conn., cited the adoption of ultra-low sulfur (ULS) heating oil as a primary factor in reducing heat exchanger contamination in oil-fired heating appliances, according to a NORA news release describing his comments. Burning higher-sulfur fuel results in build-up of such contamination, as well as reduced energy efficiency and added maintenance costs, Santa said in his talk, which was titled "Heating Oil—The Renewable Industry." With the reduction of sulfur, the incidence of fouling of heat exchangers is reduced by close to two-thirds, he said, citing research by the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. Reduced-sulfur fuel is also better for the environment, as sulfur dioxide emissions are almost eliminated, making it on par with natural gas, Santa said, citing Brookhaven research. Additionally, the Brookhaven research shows that particulate emissions, a source of respiratory irritation, are also drastically reduced, again, on par with natural gas, Santa said. The Brookhaven research showed that ULS fuel is more stable than higher-sulfur fuel, retaining its criti- cal properties longer while in storage, Santa noted. (See chart, left.) The clean nature of the fuel has added benefits for heating-equip- ment components outside the heat exchanger, Santa said. He referred to a study by his company, going back to 2006, that shows a significant decrease in fuel system failures. This greatly reduces service costs and improves reli- ability for the consumer, he said. Data from the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, a non-profit based in Boston, show that blending renewable biodiesel into heating oil to produce Bioheat offers a clear and direct way to reduce green- Santa: Oil Heating Industry Entering a 'Renaissance' Method D 4625 (13 weeks, 43 C) mg/100 mL 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 more stable Low Sulfur High Sulfur Barge Bulk Tank H1 Bulk Tank H2 Bulk Tank S1 Bulk Tank S2 Bulk Tank S3 Transporter L1 Transporter L2 Transporter L3