Fuel Oil News January 2023 | Page 18

if an ever-higher biodiesel blend scenario is implemented ( darker green ), the GHG savings are almost five times as great by 2050 .

Of equal importance , the reduction using biodiesel comes at a much smaller cost . Using 2030 as a snapshot , the GHG reduction cost with heat pumps is more than three times greater than with the biodiesel .

CALCULATOR INPUTS

To ensure accuracy and flexibility , the GHG Calculator allows for more than 30 different inputs ( Table 1 ). Among these are : location , global warming atmospheric lifetime , biodiesel feedstock , heating appliance efficiency , heat pump performance , heating load , biodiesel uptake scenarios , grid decarbonization rates and liquid fuel appliance and heat pump installation rates . The calculator allows additional inputs that include costs for both fuels and installation and conversion costs .

Using the GREET Model , the calculator assigns carbon emissions weight from both the liquid fuels and electricity . GREET stands for Greenhouse Gases , Regulated Emissions & Energy use in Technologies ; it is a full life-cycle model sponsored by the Argonne National Laboratory at the U . S . Dept . of Energy ’ s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy .

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN ?

The final result for the Connecticut use-case scenario ( Figure 1 ) in which converting all current oil-heated homes to no-carbon liquid solutions by 2050 — and assumes normal 5 % liquid fuel appliance upgrades per year versus all-electric ( heat pump plus resistance backup ) conversions at a rate of 1 % per year — shows that high bio-blending along with normal liquid fuel appliance upgrades are more beneficial both in cost and rate of decarbonization to liquid-fueled homeowners and citizens in Connecticut .

Furthermore , looking at 2030 , the cost to homeowner per ton of CO2e removed is $ 560 for heat pumps and $ 162 for high biodiesel blends . This means that in 2030 , the cost to homeowners to remove the same amount of cumulative GHG is approximately 3.5 times higher with electrification of oil-heated homes . It should be noted that this analysis of costs did not assess or incorporate upstream costs associated with a major transformation of the electric distribution system , which will likely impact pricing of electricity .

In addition to Connecticut , the calculator has already been applied to Maine , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , New York and New Jersey with similar results and only variations based upon size of market , weather , prices and each State plan for biodiesel uptake .

The NORA GHG Calculator is the first proven , analytical look at the benefits of carbon reduction using biodiesel in home heating in comparison to electric heat pumps . In addition to the economic and environmental benefits , the liquid fuel heating industry is already positioned , and if fact has begun the transition . It is of added value that very few changes are needed to the delivery , storage and use of biodiesel blends , even at very high levels . Technical issues have been given the highest priority by the NORA , Clean Fuels Alliance America , and others . Heating appliance manufacturers are currently gearing up for full biodiesel use and liquid fuel retailers and wholesalers have made the commitment to continue to elevate the biodiesel blending as fast as possible .

Reducing and eventually virtually eliminating carbon from homes is the right thing to do and the liquid heating fuels industry is on the right track to do it .

NORA has assembled this data at NORAweb . org / ghg where one can find more detailed explanations , reports and graphics for each State .

NORA has applied the GHG calculator to Maine , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , New York , New Jersey and Pennsylvania . To see the results and more detailed reports go to NORAweb . org / ghg or scan the QR Code . l FON

Michael Devine is president of the National Oilheat Research Alliance . Don Farrell is communications director of the Alliance .

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18 JANUARY 2023 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www . fueloilnews . com