Comfort Line - Questions and Answers
How Green Is Oil Heat?This quarter our Questions and Answers segment explores environmental issues relating to oil heat.
How good is oil heat for the environment?
Today’s oil heat burns 95% cleaner than it did in 1970. Oil heat emissions come well within the air pollution standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, emissions are so negligible that they are not regulated by the Federal Clean Air Act.Does heating oil produce greenhouse gases?
All fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct of the combustion process. Carbon dioxide is not a dangerous gas and is, in fact, central to the lifecycle of all plants and animals. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Animals and humans absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. While it is somewhat controversial, many scientists believe that high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are a contributing factor in global warming.How does heating oil compare to natural gas with regard to production of greenhouse gases?
On a per BTU basis, heating oil produces more carbon dioxide that natural gas. However, methane, which is the major component of natural gas, is 72 times more potent as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year timespan than carbon dioxide.Natural gas utilities lose as much as 10% of the gas transmitted through their pipelines. This methane gas escapes into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.
When you combine the effects of both methane and carbon dioxide, natural gas contributes more to global warming than heating oil.
Are changes being made to heating oil to make it more environmentally friendly?
Within the next few years, the sulphur content of heating oil will be lowered from 2,000 parts per million (PPM) to 15 PPM. This will produce the following significant benefits for the heating oil consumer and the environment:- Reduction of sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions.
- Elimination of sulphuric acid from the water vapor that is produced by the combustion process. This will make condensing oil furnaces and boilers with efficiencies over 90% viable consumer options.
- By eliminating sulphur deposits inside the heat exchangers of oil fired equipment, the time frame to perform tuneups and cleanings can be extended to intervals of two or more years.
When can we expect the reduction in the sulphur content of heating oil?
Bills have been introduced in both houses of the New Jersey legislature mandating a reduction to 15 PPM sulphur on July 1, 2011. In addition, this bill requires that heating oil contain a 3% bioblend, increasing to 5% by July 1, 2013. We have written about the advantages of bioblends in past issues of Comfort Line.
