Generous Incentives Make Purchase of Efficient Heating Equipment More Attractive Than Ever
Right now, every state is flush with tax credits and rebates for energy efficiency upgrades. (image: dsireusa.org)
Despite the recession’s effect on many people’s disposable income, it may still be a good idea to buy that more efficient refrigerator—or oil heater. The year 2010 is a golden age of energy efficiency incentives.
In addition to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the known more generally as “the stimulus”), which in 2009 renewed a federal personal tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements, state-level credits of the same type are also available and are meant to be used concurrently with federal perks. On top of these existing tax credits are the much-anticipated rebates through HomeStar, a proposal put forth by President Obama. Once known as “Cash for Caulkers,” the program plans to offer up to $3,000 to homeowners for upgrades and retrofits.
And on top of THIS is the Energy Star appliance rebate program offered through state energy offices and funded by the Department of Energy. We first reported on this program in Pennsylvania, where the state will soon offer $500 rebates for upgrades that include home heating oil equipment like furnaces and boilers. Under Energy Star, every state receives funding based on their population and decides on their own which appliances to make eligible for the program.
ICPA Calls For Conservation Funding Over Heating Oil Assistance
Expanding usage of high-efficiency heating oil systems not only achieves federal home energy conservation initatives; it also alleviates need for federal heating assistance, says the ICPA. (image: factoidz.com)
Last week, the New Britain Herald published quotes from Gene Guilford, president of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association, proposing that the heating oil-focused nonprofit known as the Connecticut Fuel Oil Conservation Board is optimally positioned to implement the green job and home efficiency improvement initiatives awaiting Congress approval. The article is a rewritten version of a press release posted on the ICPA website last Monday.
In the ICPA’s press release, Guilford emphasizes—with bold and underlined text—that oil heat conservation programs are not only a highly fruitful means of saving energy and creating jobs; they also reduce demand for federal heating oil assistance.
The oil heat industry is leading the nation with efforts to reduce energy consumption through energy conservation programs. For every $1 that is invested in energy conservation, taxpayers save $3 in government programs that help the neediest in our society pay their heating bills - we have the Green Collar jobs right here, right now.
The Connecticut Fuel Oil Conservation Board is a nonprofit founded in large part by the ICPA that promotes energy conservation by paying for the heating system upgrades of eligible low-income fuel oil users. Because high-efficiency burners are as much as twice as efficient as older burners, their installation alone can halve a user’s annual oil consumption and heating bill. Because installations require the expertise of contractors, they create jobs in the same manner as weatherization projects recently touted by President Obama. These facts alone make a compelling case for increased federal attention to the role of the heating oil industry in conservation efforts.
Obama to Unveil New Rebate Program for Energy Efficiency Upgrades
Pictured, Obama discussing weatherization at a Home Depot in Virginia in December. Today Obama will announce a revised version of his energy rebate program.
President Obama will revive his plan to boost employment, reduce energy costs, and cut emissions by offering rebates to homeowners for energy-efficiency improvements in his visit to Savannah, GA on Tuesday, reports Politico. The Home Star program, also known as “cash for caulkers” despite the objections of one of the program’s creators, was left out of a House jobs bill in December. The administration hopes that Congress will include the program in a future job creation bill.
The $6 billion proposal would offer homeowners up to $3,000 in rebates for energy-efficiency renovations. Consumers would receive the rebates immediately, and the government would then reimburse businesses’ rebate payouts. The program would operate for a limited time, but the administration expects that up to 3 million households would take advantage of the rebates.
By creating the incentive for homeowners to make upgrades or renovations, Obama hopes to boost employment among construction workers, contractors, and companies that make insulation and other materials that would be covered by the rebates. Energy-efficiency upgrades would also save homeowners money on energy costs, which would give households more money to spend for years to come—something Obama memorably called “sexy.” Although the program is being pitched as a vehicle to create jobs and save on energy bills, there are environmental benefits, as well; by consuming less energy, efficient homes produce fewer carbon emissions. Read More »
PA Program to Offer $500 Rebate on New Oil Furnaces, Boilers
In addition to the fuel savings that come with upgrading an old oil boiler, like the one pictured above, Pennsylvania will begin offering homeowners a rebate of up to $500. (image: clarkhvacllc.com)
Thinking about upgrading your old furnace or boiler? If you’re a Pennsylvania resident, you’ve picked the right time. Starting in April, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will begin a program that will offer rebates of up to $500 for homeowners replacing non-electric heaters, boilers, or furnaces with new energy-efficient models, reports the Scranton Times-Tribune.
While not all details of the program have been finalized, John Repetz of the DEP said the state planned to give out $11.9 million that it received from the federal stimulus package and that rebates would be between $250 and $500. The program will open in April and continue until all funds have been used.
Because electric utility providers in the state are already offering rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades, the state decided to offer rebates on non-electric heating equipment in kind, including oil boilers and furnaces, gas boilers and furnaces, gas storage water heaters, and gas tankless water heaters. “It will actually make more Pennsylvanians eligible for some sort of rebate,” said Repetz.
Appliances must be Energy Star qualified, which means an AFUE rating of 85 percent for boilers and furnaces. These will require a substantial investment even with a rebate; a new furnace or boiler carries a price tag of $4,000-$5,000, or higher for some high-efficiency models. However, if you have an older furnace or boiler the gains in efficiency could save you over $1000 a year on heating oil bills, enough to earn your investment back in only a few years.
New Mass. Law Requires Heating Oil System Upgrade
Underground heating oil tanks and pipes in Massachusetts will have to be outfitted with protective casing. (image: westmorefuel.com)
On Friday, the New England Business Bulletin reported on the Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law, a law directed at Massachusetts heating oil users which goes into effect July 1. Residential fuel oil spills and leaks require colossal and expensive clean-ups that homeowners must pay for. In response to this risk, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection mandated that all heating oil users outside of certain exemptions install a safety sleeve on either the tank valve or furnace pipe.
A corresponding law, also effective July 1, will make coverage for heating oil spills a mandatory addition to homeowner insurance offered in the state.
Buried oil storage tanks and piping are particularly prone to leakages because of the corrosive affects that water and either soil or cement have on unprotected metal. Perforation from material weakening and cracks from changes in the ground environment (like soil settling or foundation shifting) make underground tanks vulnerable to leaks that can develop for years without detection.
Washington College Tests 100% Biofuel in Heating Oil Boiler
It only looks like milk measured out for baking—that beaker is filled with biofuel. (image: washcoll.edu)
Washington College in Chestertown, MD recently announced that they had tested 100-percent biofuel in one of the school’s boilers in preparation for a possible switch to biofuel heat, in keeping with a trend seen in school districts and municipalities around the country. Just one boiler at the college currently consumes 100,000 gallons of no. 2 heating oil a year. Using straight biofuel—not a biofuel blend (such as Bioheat), which would be much more common—would reduce the school’s carbon footprint massively. The test indicated a 51-percent drop in nitrous oxide emissions, and the fuel contains no carbon material or sulfur.
This preliminary test was intended to see if the benefits of burning the 100-percent biofuel are what they were purported to be; after seeing the results, a switch in fuels will likely figure into Washington College’s plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to pre-2000 levels through the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. “If it were up to me, we’d make the switch tomorrow,” said Briggs Cunningham, Climate Action Coordinator at the Center for Environment & Society at the college. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed—I see only advantages and no disadvantages.”
Switching to 100-percent biofuel wouldn’t require any mechanical adjustments to the heating system, only a thorough scrubbing of the tanks. The cost per BTU is expected to be the same as for no. 2 heating oil, although a greater volume of the biofuel would be needed to achieve that output.
Tobacco Could Be the Next Source of Biofuel
Tobacco leaves. Today’s second-hand smoke producers may be tomorrow’s biofuel. (image: tradeindia.com)
One day, burning tobacco could be good for your health. At least that’d be the case if researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia get their way. As reported Tuesday by USA Today, they believe that tobacco could be a good source for biofuel, including biodiesel and biofuel heating oil.
Scientists have discovered how to tweak tobacco’s genes to increase its production of oil by up to 20 times. That would make it an excellent stock for conversion to biofuel. Moreover, as one of the authors of the research study noted, “tobacco is very attractive as a biofuel because the idea is to use plants that aren’t used in food production.” That way, biofuel production doesn’t compete or conflict with growing crops to eat.
Heating Cutoffs Can Have Tragic Consequences
People who’s central heating has been cut off often turn to electric space heaters, which pose significant risks of fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards. (image: vornadofan via flickr.com)
A recent event has shown that having one’s heat shut off in the middle of winter can result in tragedy. On Friday the SocialistWorker.org reported that Marvin Allen, Tyrone Allen, and Lynn Greer, aged 61, 60, and 59 respectively, died in a Detroit house fire as a result of using space heaters to keep warm. The need for space heaters derived from the fact that the residents’ heat was shut off because they could not afford to pay their $181 bill. Although it is not a mainstream news publication, SocialistWorker.org’s report brings to light a serious problem facing many Americans during these difficult economic times and highlights the dangers associated with having one’s access to heat denied during a particularly brutal winter.
Implying that heating assistance programs do exist to help the needy, DTE Energy, the utility company that cut off the household’s access to heat, responded to the incident with a note that “this is obviously a tragic situation…but possibly one that could have been avoided.” While it is true that this event could have been avoided, the fact that the deceased did not appeal for heating assistance to programs such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) highlights the simple fact that many people are not aware of such programs.
Bad Oil Filter May Have Caused Heating Oil Spill at CT School
Major excavation operations are required to clean up after a heating oil spill like the one that occurred at the Preston School. Keeping oil heating systems in working order with regular maintenance reduces the risk of spills. (image: gemtec.ca)
The grounds of Preston Veterans Memorial School in Preston, Connecticut, are sopping with thousands of gallons of spilled heating oil thanks to a possible furnace-filter failure, the Norwich Bulletin reported on Thursday. Children returning from winter break may look forward to soiled sports fields, cacophonous clean-up crews, and the aroma of no. 2 fuel oil.
According to First Selectman Robert Congdon, the leak occurred between December 27th and 28th, most likely when a filter malfunctioned, creating an “open line” that allowed oil to escape from the school’s furnace. “Engineers will determine why it failed,” Congdon said, though Fire Marshal Tom Casey, who is investigating the spill, cautioned against jumping to conclusions. “I’m not prepared to say definitively what this (was) until I’ve ruled everything else out.”
From Pennsylvania to Alabama, Residents Seek Heating Assistance
(image: lolla_sig via flickr.com)
This winter the onset of frigid temperatures has only added additional strife to many Americans who are already struggling to deal with a crumbling economy. Recently, numerous news outlets have reported that Americans from Pennsylvania to warmer states such as South Carolina and Alabama are struggling to keep their homes warm. The combination of cold weather and economic hardship has resulted in a dramatic increase in appeals for heating assistance.
According to DailyPress.com, in Virginia alone assistance requests rose from 108,040 in 2008 to 122,625 in 2009, an increase of over 13 percent—a remarkable number given that the heating season still has several months left. In James City County, Virginia, the number of households requesting fuel assistance is already up to 700, over two hundred more than all of last year. CarolinaLive.com has reported that in Waccamaw, South Carolina, requests for heating assistance have already resulted in a waiting list of over 500 people.
Heating Oil Thieves Hit Animal Shelter in PA
This heating oil theft left dozens of neglected animals in the cold. (image: Boered via flickr.com)
In a Scrooge-like post-holiday maneuver, a burglar stole 275 gallons of heating oil from the Fayette County Humane Society in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The local press, which dubbed the act a “cold-hearted crime,” said the thief took what amounts to roughly $500 worth of oil, leaving some 30 dogs and cats in chilly 50-degree surroundings, down from the shelter’s standard of 65 degrees.
Sadly, this crime is not entirely unique. Early last month an elderly North Carolina woman was robbed of her home heating oil when someone emptied her 200-gallon tank. And, in September 2009, another heating oil theft took place in Central Pennsylvania. Though heating oil theft is not commonplace, the soaring price of crude has caused an uptick in the crime, which, before 2008, was nearly nonexistent. For more on heating oil crimes, see our report on the trend.
NYC Will Act To Curb Use Of No. 4 And No. 6 Heating Fuels
A smoggy day in New York City. (image: joyvictory.files.wordpress.com)
In December, we wrote about an Environmental Defense Fund study showing many older buildings in New York City are heated by no. 4 and no. 6 oil, which burn much dirtier and less efficiently than no. 2 heating oil.
Now it appears that the city is poised to do something about it. As reported in the New York Times on Friday, city officials say they will introduce regulations in 2010 to phase out use of no. 4 and no. 6 oil. The reason is air quality: the EDF study claims that just 1 percent of NYC buildings create 87 percent of the city’s oil-heat-related soot. An even-more-recent study released by the city’s health department shows high levels of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and other pollutants in areas where many buildings burn no. 4 and no. 6, also known as residual oils.
Whirlpool, Best Buy, and Others Collaborate on Energy Information Display
A previous energy information display from OpenPeak could provide a model for the new HEM. (image: openpeak.com)
In case you don’t have enough high-tech gadgets, next year you’ll be able to buy one that offers an interesting array of information, reports earth2tech. Whirlpool, Best Buy, energy reseller Direct Energy, and developer OpenPeak are planning to launch an energy information display, called the Home Energy Management (HEM) center. The HEM will be unveiled at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show on January 7.
The HEM will use an open platform that uses smart meter data, and it will be compatible with Whirlpool smart energy dryers and Lennox smart thermostats. In an effort to consumers who might ignore a simple energy device, the HEM will also be able to interact with social networks like Facebook.
Senator Gillibrand of NY Calls for More Applicants for Heating Assistance
Sen. Gillibrand at a 2007 town hall meeting. (image: nytimes.com)
The recession has led many people to apply to LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) for the first time. Vermont’s program could assist record numbers of people, Ohio adjusted its guidelines to be able to help more residents, and Pennsylvania’s LIHEAP didn’t expect to be able to meet the demand for assistance. However, New York State may face a different problem, reports the Hudson Valley’s Times Herald-Record: heating assistance is underused.
According to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), more than 1 million eligible households in the state failed to apply for assistance last year. Since eligible households, especially those with senior citizens, could face tragic consequences if they are unable to heat their home, Gillibrand wants New York’s HEAP money to go to as many homes as possible. “If you have a senior who doesn’t pay her heating bill, she could die,” said Gillibrand.
Gillibrand also called for residents to take advantage of the state’s $500 million dollars devoted to weatherization efforts, courtesy of the federal stimulus package. Those funds could also go toward work that would reduce heating bills, but so far little has been used.
For more information on applying to LIHEAP in your state, go here.
Forward to the Past: Online Contest Participants Brave Cold to Conserve Heat
(image: imagecache2.allposters.com)
Conservation is good. That’s why we provide helpful tips on how to insulate your home; how to maintain your heating system for maximum efficiency; energy audits and how they can help you save; even how roof color can reduce your carbon footprint and energy consumption.
However, there may be taking a good thing too far. As USA Today reported Tuesday, across the nation, many people are challenging themselves and others to see how long they can go without heat this winter. There’re going back to the pre-central heat past and living—at least temperature-wise—like our ancestors did. (Obviously, northern and western residents only need apply—no boasting about not needing heat in the winter, Floridians!)
Overall, the goal is two-fold: save money and help the environment by reducing fuel usage and carbon emissions. Of course, for any one person or family, one or the other goal may predominate. For example, Laura Nichol of Maplewood, New Jersey, who won a trophy last year for going without heat, is focused on saving money, which she certainly did—she received a $1,000 credit on her utility bill. On the other hand, Deanna Duke, creator of the environmentally focused blog Crunchy Chicken, gladly takes any monetary savings, but puts helping the environment first.
VT Heating Oil Dealer’s Delivery Trucks Powered by Biodiesel, Hybrid Technology
Craig Reynolds of Bourne Energy making an oil delivery. (image: vermontdailynews.com)
Bourne’s Energy in Waterbury, Vt., has scored the first hybrid heating fuel and gas delivery trucks in the Northeast, the Vermont Daily News said on Monday. The company has been using its two hybrid electric and biodiesel-powered trucks, which are RydeGreen Ryder trucks, to deliver heating oil—including biofuel blends—and propane for about two weeks.
The shiny new vehicles have several benefits over conventional trucks, including reduced emissions and less noise. Reduced emissions are particularly important for vehicles operating in residential areas.
When a driver comes to a home or building for a delivery, the truck is usually left running to power the fuel pump. The driver can now shut off the engine. After hauling the hose to the fuel pipe on the side of the building, the driver activates the electric pump on the truck with a remote handheld switch.
NJ Rebate Program for More Efficient Heating Oil Equipment Nears Final Approval
New Jersey's Clean Energy program logo. (image: rowan.edu)
NorthJersey.com reported yesterday that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has submitted an $8.33 million proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy for funding for a rebate program encouraging NJ residents to upgrade to more efficient Energy Star appliances. The BPU expects to be able to launch the program on Jan. 1, 2010. According to BPU Chairwoman Jeanne M. Fox, the new funding will expand an existing state program that already reaches “330,000 New Jersey residents, representing a savings to those residents of approximately $78 million per year.” Heating oil customers will benefit from the program with a $300 rebate on new burners and boilers, among other incentives. Consumers can find more information about the program at http://www.njcleanenergy.com/.
Maine Bill Calls for Less Sulfur in Heating Oil
Maine legislators and park officials speaking about a proposal to reduce the sulfur content of heating fuels.(image: bangordailynews.com)
State legislators in Maine began discussing a new bill yesterday that would limit the amount of sulfur contained in residential and industrial heating fuel, the Bangor Daily News has reported. The bill, proposed by Senator Seth Goodall (D-Richmond), calls for a sulfur cap of 15 parts per million by 2018, a substantial (if not tremendous) reduction given that the average sulfur content of heating fuel is currently 2,000 to 3,000 parts per million. The lawmakers, who met with park officials in Maine’s Acadia National Park, hope that a sulfur cap will help preserve one of the state’s most precious natural resources: its clean air.
Maine’s tourist industry is predicated on blue skies and pristine views. But large amounts of sulfur, released into the atmosphere when heating oil is burned, threaten the purity of the environment. Thus, the new sulfur-cap bill is important to the future of Acadia Park, and many others in the state. “Air quality means a lot to our visitors,” Acadia’s superintendent, Sheridan Steele, said on Tuesday, noting that a clear view of the Cadillac Mountain summit is a big draw for millions of tourists each year. According to Stephanie Clement, conservation director for the advocacy group Friends of Acadia, “People come to Maine for its clean, natural environment. We want to make sure that continues for generations.”
EnerTrac Hopes to Transform Oil Delivery with Sensors to Monitor Home Heating Oil
Pictured is EnerTrac’s heating oil sensor, which can transmit information about the level of oil in the tank back to the distributor. (image: enertrac.com)
EnerTrac, a New Hampshire-based company that designs and manufactures products to monitor home heating tanks, has developed a new automated device that allows for sensory-based monitoring of home heating oil. According to Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology, the move could save oil distributors as much as 30 to 40 percent in delivery costs.
MHT reports that the EnerTrac sensors allow home heating oil distributors to monitor tanks from afar, electronically. As MHT explains the process, the sensors send information to a software interface, allowing distributors to efficiently schedule their deliveries. The wireless transmission adds a techie addition to the standard way a home heating oil system works.
EnterTrac also claims the sensors are fairly easy to install. The company says the sensors, which come with a promise of a 10-year battery life, simply screw into your existing tank. Once screwed in place they then wirelessly transmit the oil level to your distributor.
Maine Proposal Would Require Heating Oil to Contain Biofuel by 2011
Soybeans are the source of much of the biofuel that is mixed with petroleum-based heating oil in the US. (image: gas2.org)
It looks like Maine is going to be the next state to mandate an increase in biofuel heating oil. The Bangor Daily News reported on Thursday on a proposal by State Representative Steve Butterfield, calling for all Maine heating oil to be at least 2 percent biofuel by 2011. Massachusetts already has similar legislation on the books, and New York is considering the same thing.
Rep. Butterfield added a number of provisions allowing the governor to suspend the mandate if the biofuel market should fail. The initial mandate requires all No. 2 home heating oil sold in Maine to contain 2 percent biofuel. However, the goal is that the amount of biofuel will increase along with Maine biofuel production.
Butterfield and Jamie Py of the Maine Energy Marketers Association (formerly the Main Oil Dealers Association) note that homeowners will not have to make any changes to their heating systems in order to incorporate these low-percentage biofuel blends.
