Posted: November 25, 2024
Remember last summer, when smoke from Canadian wildfires turned our skies orange and hazy and the air made peoples’ eyes and throats burn? It was dangerous for anyone with health issues to be outside for days at a time. For some people, it was a scary flashback to the smoggy air from the ’70s, before eliminating air pollution became a priority. For others, it was a wakeup call about what we could expect if we don’t follow through on our clean energy goals.
Fortunately, science and technology have made major advances in creating cleaner energy—including cleaner-burning heating oil. One of the biggest changes in heating oil in recent years has been the development of ultra-low sulfur heating oil and biofuel blends. For over 20 years we’ve been supplying ultra-low sulfur heating oil which has helped put an end to environment threats like acid rain. Every gallon of heating oil Main-Care delivers is Bioheat® fuel, a blend of ultra-low sulfur heating oil (ULSHO) and biofuels. Biofuels are made from renewable resources such as animal fats, recycled restaurant oils and plant oils such as soybean.
Blending ULSHO with biofuels creates a cleaner-burning heating fuel that emits up to 80% less sulfur dioxide as well as 20% less carbon dioxide than traditional heating oils. Fewer greenhouse gases mean cleaner air and a more sustainable future for everyone!
Meanwhile, methane emissions produced by natural gas are nearly 82 times more destructive to the environment over a 20-year period compared to carbon dioxide emissions.
And according to the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management , Bioheat fuel also reduces sulfur oxide, particulate matter and mercury emissions. Bottom line: By choosing Bioheat heating oil to heat your home, you contribute to better air quality for all of us and help in the fight against climate change.
Reducing carbon emissions isn’t just about slowing climate change. It can have huge implications on health. The fact is, all that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases ozone levels and exacerbates pollution. That leads to a higher incidence of respiratory diseases including asthma and emphysema, not to mention cancer. Poor air quality also causes worsened allergies and longer allergy seasons.
A big part of the solution is cleaner air, which means clean-burning, low-emission fuels like Bioheat are essential in curbing climate change.
Another benefit to choosing Bioheat to heat your home is that you don’t need to spend a dime on new or upgraded heating equipment. The oil heating system you have now will operate the same with Bioheat fuel. Of course, if you’re ready for new equipment, an investment in a high-efficiency boiler or furnace will help you keep heating costs down.
On the other hand, changing to a different fuel or switching to electric will require all new heating equipment and possibly upgrades to your electric service. Those costs can really add up, and your electric bill could spike as well.
All heating oil in the northeast is now ultra-low sulfur. But not all fuel suppliers deliver even cleaner, more sustainable biofuel blends. Our residential customers in New York State can take advantage of a $0.10/gallon tax credit for heating their homes with our Bioheat heating fuel. If you want to learn more about Bioheat, or set up reliable deliveries of Bioheat fuel for your New York, Vermont or Massachusetts home, contact Main-Care today!
