2 0 1 2 S O U RC EB O OK As noted, some of the respondents were
far larger than what would be considered a typical fuel oil dealer. The adjusted table provides an industry perspective closer to the typical dealer with the largest opera- tions (at least twice as large as the gross average) removed. The second figure included in parentheses moves away from the gross average to just include the aver- age for the companies that serve those specific customers.
SOURCES OF REVENUE (Table 6) Some 88% of the respondents provided retail fuel oil. Some 37% provided bulk fuel oil and 32% provided propane service and 71% HVAC sales and ser- vice. Additional, but not listed, sources included bulk diesel sales, bulk motor oil and lubricants.
TABLE 6
REVENUE SOURCES RETAIL FUEL OIL
BULK FUEL OIL RETAIL GASOLINE BULK GASOLINE
LGP/LNG, RETAIL OR BULK HEATING EQUIPMENT SALES
AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT SALES
88% 37% 32% 22% 32% 71% 42%
FUEL OIL SALES BY VOLUME (Table 7) When looking at the percentage of fuel oil sales by volume, it is similarly not surpris- ing that roughly 78% of that volume goes to residential customers.
TABLE 7
PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF ANNUAL FUEL-OIL SALES, BY VOLUME
RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL
78% 19% 3%
BIOFUEL AND ULTRA LOW SULFUR There has been a strong movement in the industry towards biofuel-based heating oil and ultra low sulfur diesel. This has been driven for a range of rea- sons—these green fuels tend to appeal to residents in the primary heating markets; they can significantly simplify heating appliance maintenance; and
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they represent an opportunity to be an acceptable fuel in any low carbon fuel standard that might be set in key heating oil markets. Nearly a third of respondents (29%) sold a biofuel blend. Of those selling a blend, 89% of the respondents sold B5 (5% mixture), and
33% sold B20 (25% mixture). Other blends sold, but not quantified in the survey, included B2 (2% mixture) and B10 (10% mixture). In addition to bio- fuel, 62% sold a heating fuel with ultra low sulfur content.
