Integrating Renewable Fuel Heating Systems
Better Buildings By Design
February 2009
Vermont Sustainable Jobs FundAccelerating the Development of Vermont’s Green Economy
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund• VSJF is a nonprofit formed by the VT Legislature in 1995 to
accelerate the development of Vermont’s emerging, green economy.
• Providing early stage grants and hands-on technical assistance using our Sustainable Market development model
• i.e., Sustainable agriculture, forest products, renewable energy, environmental technology, and solid waste / pollution abatement.
• Since 2003 ~ Helping biodiesel businesses and on-farm demonstration projects with technical assistance and public policy support; growing Vermont’s biofuels sector from the ground up.
Renewable Heating Fuels
• Biodiesel
• Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO / UFO)
• Perennial Grasses
What Is Biodiesel?
• A renewable, biodegradable, combustible liquid fuel (mono alkyl ester)
• Derived from vegetable oil or animal fat
– Typically soy oil, canola, “yellow grease”and fats
• Meets ASTM specification D6751
• Marketed as pure biodiesel (“B100”) or blended with diesel / No. 2 oil (“B20”)
Why Biodiesel?Benefits of Biodiesel• Fully tested, approved and miscible• UL, ASTM and OEMs have given their blessing• Reduced CO2 and Other Emissions• Domestic Renewable Energy Supply
Market Barriers• Storage and Supply Infrastructure• End-User Experience (education)• Cost
Lower Emissions*
Biodiesel (B20) Tailpipe Stack
CO2
Carbon Monoxide
Particulate Matter
NOx (nitrates)
SOx (sulfates)
PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)
*Compared to petrodiesel
No Silver Bullets*
1st Generation Bio-energy Fuels
• Biodiesel from vegetable oil and animal fats
– Animal fats & used vegetable oil are a limited resource
– Virgin oilseed crops are a renewable (but “limited”) resource
and yield two high-value products: oil and livestock feed
– Good net energy return on energy invested (EROEI) (~200% to
~400+% return)1
1 Source: USDA / DOE to Piedmont Biofuels
•Biodiesel from algae
–Microalgae with up to 50% lipid content are cultivated in
photo-bioreactors or open ponds
–Significant production potential to meet global demand
–High EROEI
–Commercial production of biodiesel from algae +/- 5 years
–Vermont research & demonstration projects underway
Developing Next Generation or Advanced Bio-energy Fuels
All BiofuelsAre NOT Created Equal
Biofuels produced with conservation safeguards are gaining wider support:
• Reduce ratio of fossil energy input to output; use wastes for feedstocks (increase EROEI)
• Use less water and more renewable energy in refineries.
• Avoid deforestation and use of critical food production land for energy feedstocks.
• Sustainable Biofuels (3rd party) certification is coming soon.
Biodiesel Applications
• B20 burns in any equipment that burns diesel -including oil heat furnaces – with no modifications!
• Most fuel consumers prefer from B20 and up– Significant air quality improvements
– Greater reduction in fossil fuel use
– Little to no performance issues with indoor fuel storage
– Equipment modifications needed for B50 or higher blends
• Most fuel dealers prefer blends from B5 to B10 – New ASTM specs include up to B5
– Up to B5 covered by all OEMs
– Some emissions reduction at minimal cost
– No cold weather performance issues
Known Issues with Biodiesel
• Cold Weather– Biodiesel has a higher cloud point than
petrodiesel
• Materials Compatibility– B20 or lower blends minimize most issues
associated with material compatibility
• Detergent Effect– Filter clogging can occur, especially with
older systems
2007 Vermont Bioheat Study
• Two HVAC Vocational Tech Centers– Two instructors and twenty students
– Five different heating units
• Two Vermont Fuel Dealers
• Twenty six homes
• 20,000 gallons of B20
• One Vermont winter
And the Results…
• B20 works as a heating fuel in Vermont
• Negligible decrease in combustion efficiency
– Less than 1%
• Amperage draw & cad cell resistance slightly up
– No negative impact to system performance
• CO2 emission levels down 3% to 4%
Testimonials
• Patterson Fuels (Richmond): “B20 performed as well as No. 2 fuel in a heating application. We will recommend it to any customer currently burning No. 2 fuel”
• CVPH (Middlebury): “We experienced no more problems with the boilers and furnaces at Middlebury College [using B20 bioheat] than we would expect from units running on No. 2 fuel oil”
Fuel Dealers• Vermont's fuel suppliers
selling biodiesel & blends
Fuel Dealers Selling Biodiesel in Vt.
02
468
101214
1618
2003 2004 2005 2006
No. Fuel Dealers
Fuel Dealers Selling Biodiesel in Vt.
02
468
101214
1618
2003 2004 2005 2006
No. Fuel Dealers
– Jack F. Corse, Inc.– Evans Group– Jackman’s– Champlain Oil– Cota & Cota– Patterson Fuels– Gillespie Fuels– And more…
Okay, so what does it cost?
• Expect to pay ~ $0.01 more per gallon than No. 2 oil, for each % of biodiesel in the blend you are buying.
– For B5; add 2¢ to 5¢– For B10; add 8¢ to 10¢– For B20; add 15¢ to 20¢
• For the ‘average’ VT home using B20, the cost is between $13 and $20 more per month
B100 and SVO as Heating Fuel
• The Good News– They work
– Fossil fuel free and energy self sufficiency
– Dramatic reductions in CO2 and other emissions
– “DIY” or can be very low cost
• On the Other Hand– “Experimental” fuels (B100 & SVO / UFO)
• Equipment modifications, warranties, temperamental
– Finding UFOs isn’t easy!
Grass Energy for Vermont?
• Early stage R&D– UVM Extension; planting perennial grass stock– 5+ tons per acre possible
• For Industrial / Commercial use– 100% grass fuels are feasible– Pelletized (or not)
• For Residential use– Pellet fuel blended with wood fiber
Moving to a multi fuel future
• Low transition cost to go to biodiesel blends with existing infrastructure… here/now
• Convert over time to primary wood and biomass (grass) energy systems with bioheat backup
Synthesis ~ Industrial
Barre Town Boilers
Synthesis ~ Residential
Tarm™ (Bioheat USA™) Excel multi fuel Boiler
Addressing Our Fuel and Energy Needs & Global Climate Change
1. Efficiency and Conservation• High efficiency building standards
• Better buildings by design!• High efficiency heating equipment
2. Smart Growth
3. Regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard
4. Renewables; including biomass & biofuels • With or without fossil fuels
Funding & Support Provided By:
U.S Dept of EnergyOffice of Sen. Patrick LeahyHigh Meadows FundVermont Sustainable Agriculture Council
Vermont Sustainable Jobs FundAccelerating the Development of Vermont’s Green Economy
Contact info:Netaka WhiteBiofuels [email protected](802)-828-0040
www.vsjf.org