reduction based on the use of waste feed stocks such as used cooking oil . Replacing petroleum with B100 can provide reductions in carbon of up to 90 %.
Work is ongoing within the biodiesel industry on reducing even the small amount of carbon emissions associated with biodiesel production , and the picture is expected to get even better , NORA says . The residual emissions can be minimized using a high-efficiency boiler or furnace .
The transition to B100 was made at the Butcher home in 2020 with the biodiesel fuel supplied by Hart Home Comfort , Oakdale , NY . The steel tank is indoors and approximately 15 years old . The tank was filled without cleaning prior to the introduction to B100 . There have been no notable service issues since the transition . The heating system includes an Energy Kinetics System 2000 , about 10 years old .
The second step is the addition of solar panels on the roof of the home , which can produce more or less power than the home needs at any time of the day . The system installed at Butcher ’ s home does not include a storage battery but rather “ extra ” power is exported back to the grid . The home ’ s historical annual electric
power use is 7,199 kilowatt hours , including a central air conditioning system . The annual production capacity of the solar panels installed is a nominal 7,914 kilowatt hours . In addition to eliminating carbon associated with power used in the home , the surplus power sent back to the grid reduces carbon emissions further and provides an offset to the small amount of carbon emissions associated with the biodiesel use .
The solar panel system at Butcher ’ s home was installed by Long Island Power Solutions , Ronkonkoma , NY . The State and Federal Governments offered financial incentives for installing solar panels , making the installation attractive .
At the time the installation was planned , the residential power rate was approximately $ 0.23 per kilowatt hour . At this rate , the payback period was calculated at seven years with an effective annual payback of 14.3 %. At the time of this writing , it has risen to $ 0.28 per kilowatt hour making the payback period drop to 5.74 years after which the electric cost will effectively be zero .
“ With uncertainty about future rates , I feel this was a great step to eliminate electric bills ,” noted Dr . Butcher .
“ These steps to quickly make my home carbon-free have been very easy , I didn ’ t make any changes to my heating system . The investment I have made in the solar panels will pay back quickly and I feel we are ready for the upcoming decades with a system that keeps us warm , provides plenty of hot water , and will end up being the cheapest approach .”
NORA ’ s Net Zero Carbon Home will continue to be monitored for financial returns and greenhouse gas ( GHG ) reduction values and upgrades to further the carbon emission reductions will be assessed .
NORA would like to extend the Zero- Carbon Home project to other U . S . States . If you have an interest in working with NORA , contact info @ noraweb . org .
Reprinted with permission of National Oilheat Research Alliance l FON
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