As part of the new Dixie Green Initiative, we will be offering Bioheat® Fuels. Reducing our customers and our own carbon emissions footprint. Bioheat® Fuels are made from soybean oils which are a low-cost, low-carbon, low-headache solution to your residential heating needs. It is more sustainable and cost effective than Natural Gas, or fully electric heating systems. If you’re still not convinced to switch your home over to Bioheat® Fuels, just keep reading the facts below. Remember, information is power.
Bioheat® fuel is better, cleaner, and safer for the environment because it is low-carbon and available right now. Made from renewable resources, Bioheat® fuel is a true low-carbon energy option that helps reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions today and will continue to do so as it evolves into a 100% carbon neutral fuel.
According to the U.S. Energy Administration, greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels are currently the largest sources for electricity generation. In fact, only 19% of the electricity in the United States is produced by renewable energy sources.
Converting a home to electric heating can cost up to $20,000, not taking into account cost lost for those who have already invested in high-efficiency Bioheat® heating fuel systems.
The average price of electricity could reach $0.1524/kWh in 2023. That would represent about a 3.3% increase—and EIA says prices are already 7.5% higher today than they were in 2021.
A recent study, Implications of Policy-Driven Residential Electrification, concluded that policy-driven electrification would increase the average residential household energy-related costs by approximately 38% to 46%, resulting in an increase to the average affected residential household of between $750 and $910 per year.
The air you breathe directly impacts your health, and research shows that transitioning to Bioheat® fuel will provide cleaner air and fewer related health problems including reduced cancer risk, respiratory issues, and even premature death.
- Over 20% of US electricity is sourced from burning coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
- Additionally, the EIA reports that over 38% of US electricity is sourced from natural gas, which is primarily comprised of methane.
- If methane is released into the atmosphere before being used, it is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide over short periods of time and 30 times more potent over the long term.
- Increased demand for the electric grid can pose issues, interrupting your energy access
- The average American experienced just over eight hours of power outages in 2020, with overall duration of power interruptions in the U.S. more than doubling since 2015.
Bioheat® fuel is delivered by local, family-owned fuel providers in your neighborhood. They have been serving the area for generations and employ friends, neighbors, and family members in your town. It’s a renewable energy option with personalized service.
- Instead, Bioheat® fuel is renewable energy stored directly on-site in your fuel tank.
- A 275-gallon tank of Bioheat® fuel contains 10,670 kilowatt hours of energy, which is reliable and ready to use when you turn on your heating equipment.
- Full electrification of the heating sector would put further stress on the electric grid. Relying upon Bioheat® fuel to keep your family warm is a logical choice that requires no modifications and allows you time to fully research what home heat solution is best for you and your family.
- Meeting this increased demand with 100% renewable energy has been deemed unrealistic by leading experts including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the International Energy Agency.
- Lower-income communities suffer from worse air quality conditions than high-income communities. Because electric heating systems will only be installed in communities that can afford them, only middle- and high-income communities will experience the improved air quality promised by electrification.
- More electric heating systems will increase the winter grid load, causing everyone to pay higher rates for electricity, whether they have an electric heating system or not.
- Bioheat® fuel is an equitable and effective renewable energy source that requires no significant conversion cost and is readily available now.
- Electrification would leave consumers to place their comfort in the hands of a large utility company.
- Consumers lose their choice to work with a local, family-run heating fuel supplier that offers specialized services including budget plans, service plans, price protection, and 24/7 emergency service.
- Local, family-owned-and-operated fuel providers would be legislated out of business. On average these oil delivery companies employ 36 people from their communities.
Bioheat® fuel is an immediate solution to reduce aggregate greenhouse gas emissions that is accessible, equitable, and available to consumers right now. Current blends of Bioheat® fuel oil produce significantly fewer emissions than traditional liquid heating fuels, and the industry will continue to increase blend ratios to become a carbon-neutral liquid heating fuel that is the cleanest, most sustainable residential heat source available on the planet.