MANDATED bio fuel

joel_19

Mass has mandated bio fuel for 2010. does anyone know what the blend is AND are they insisting it be low sulphur or blended with the usual crappy stuff. If it's low sulphur maybe we'll get some mod con oil units?????

Alan R. Mercurio_3

Joel it’s blended with #2 Fuel oil and I believe it’s between 2 to 5% after several years that should be increased to 15 to 20%

David Bessette just held an informational seminar this past week at our NAOHSM convention on this subject. If you want to reach out to him I’m sure he can fill you in on all the details.

David Bessette

Arlex Oil Corp.

Business: (781) 862-3400

E-mail: arlexoil@tiac.net


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Alan R. Mercurio

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Robert O'Brien

It's

B-2 by 2010 and B-5 in 2013. ASTM has approved B-5 as heating oil. It will be blended w/ whatever is being sold at the time which will be the same junk as now

Constantin

Trouble is...

The lower sulfur content alone is not enough to entice manufacturers to move equipment to the US.

For example, even blended to B20 the current sulfur content is still well outside the range of the Vitoladens, which is looking for 150PPM fuel, IIRC. In other words, you'd have to start with road diesel at 15PPM (and then blend any which way you like) to maintain the sulfur limits as intended by the manufacturer. Which manufacturer will take the risk that their customers will purchase proper fuel? How do you police it? Warranty claims? Oh my!

In the US, the oil market is a small potato compared to gas, and hydronic systems are but a small component of the overall heating market. So, the market for oil boilers is comparatively teeny and the risks of bringing in new product that is on the bleeding edge (i.e. two-step firing with condensing) is probably pretty high. I see this as the reason we see so much more rebadged EU technology on the gas mod-con side. It's not that interesting oil technology doesn't exist, it's that the market is that much smaller and the technology is hence that much more susceptible to being hurt by high sulfur content oil, unknowledgable technicians, etc.

Now, there are two condensing oil units on the US market, both are rebadged EU models that are limited to capacities below 80KBTU but which use old technology to allow high sulfur oil to work. Low sulfur oil (and bio fuel) may help them by reducing soot and/or sulfur deposits but the benefits of modulation (or even just step firing) remain elusive in the US oil boiler market.

Don't get me wrong, I bet on a new oil install in 2004. However, on a purely financial basis, I am likely still regretting that decision vs. a gas mod-con. However, still better to take an educated gamble (based on 20 years of data) than going to Vegas and filling Mr. Wynns pockets, I suppose.

Robert O'Brien

Constantin

I know last year was a disaster,but over the entire 5 year period,do you think the mod/con would have done better?

Constantin

Hard to say

Toms work at Brookhaven is making me think a low mass boiler may be the way to go, especially if the rest of the system is high mass. I'm not sure whether I am ahead or not, but I do see the very low standby losses, low input rates (when desired) and high efficiencies of a mod-con gas unit as hard to beat.

That said, I am working on ways to make the house more efficient, including investigating the payback on upgrading the near boiler piping, going vs on the pumps, using a hpwh, avoiding recirculation of hot water unless someone is in the shower, etc.