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B20 worth it? As good as they say?

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Swilson08
Swilson08 Member Posts: 36
in Oil Heating
Good morning everyone.   

Ive run B20 all year long but that's what my previous oil company used to deliver only.    I was wondering is it really so much better then #2 considering it's only 20 percent bio fuel.   I can understand if it was 50 or 100 but we aren't there yet for those concentrations.     Plenty of data claiming how much better b20 is but Iam just curious since it's only a 20 percent ratio.      

B20 is about 1.80 a gallon here in NY. And if they still offer the tax credit then it's 20 cents a gallon tax credit.    #2 is about 1.50 a gallon here. 

Besides the known better renewable fuel source and cleaner burning.  How much more efficient is it and are there any draw backs with using b20, such as burner issues.   

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,286
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    It's no more efficient than #2 oil. A BTU is a BTU, and a burner properly adjusted to burn it in a boiler which is clean will produce the same efficiency on either one.

    Whether it is better on the whole for the environment is debatable; the people who depend on soybeans for food or who live in the Amazon may beg to differ.

    Is it worth the extra price? In my opinion, no.

    As to the burner, the various gaskets and seals in the burner and filters and all must be suited for it. It attacks some types of gasket materials and ruins them. You should probably get your tech. to ensure that the materials used in your equipment are compatible with it.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    kcopp
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
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    The higher the bio, the less btu output.
    The biggest problem is the bio stock itself. If it meets spec, you have a better chance of success. If not, it's a potential disaster.
    Beckett just certified a burner for B20. But that's not the tank, piping and filters.
    If one of my customers insisted on B20 (not available in Philly area unless you blend your own), I'd have to insist on a new tank and a fresh start. Otherwise, that bio will clean that old tank, and clog everything downstream.
    So service calls will go up.
    People will solely blame the bio.
    People will switch to gas.
    steve
    vibert_cZmankcoppHVACNUT
  • BDR529
    BDR529 Member Posts: 285
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    Bio good of the environment? As much as the electric car and the batteries that power it.
    MaxMercy426hemi
  • MaxMercy
    MaxMercy Member Posts: 508
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    BDR529 said:

    Bio good of the environment? As much as the electric car and the batteries that power it.

    I'd love to have a Tesla. Any model. Am I aware that they are probably less "green" than any comparable gasoline car? Yes. But I think they're freaking coolest cars on the planet right now.

    426hemi

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