New York State Assembly Members Ed Ra and Jarett Gandolfo visited the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) Laboratory in Plainview, NY, in December for an in-depth briefing and tour focused on the future of low-carbon liquid heating fuels and advanced heating system technology. The visit highlighted the laboratory’s ongoing research into renewable liquid heating fuels, energy efficiency, combustion technology, and workforce training.
The tour was hosted by Rocco J. Lacertosa, CEO of the New York State Energy Coalition (NYSEC), Bob O’ Brien, NORA Director of Education and Neehad Islam and Ryan Kerr, NORA Research Engineers. Also in attendance were NYSEC members Raymond and Jacqueline Hart from Hart Home Comfort, Bruce and Kent Fuhrmann from Swezey Fuel, and Tom Magno and Rich Massa from Northville Industries. The Assembly Members were shown firsthand how NORA’s initiatives are supporting New York State’s climate and energy goals while ensuring that homeowners who rely on liquid heating systems have reliable, increasingly sustainable options.
During the tour, Ra and Gandolfo met with engineers and technical specialists who demonstrated NORA’s work on B100 (100% biodiesel) heating applications, emissions reduction research, and the development of next-generation burner and boiler technologies. Discussions also focused on the vital role that renewable liquid fuels can play in reducing carbon emissions from existing homes – without requiring costly equipment replacements.
Ra noted the importance of supporting innovation in the heating sector, particularly for suburban and rural communities that rely heavily on delivered fuels. Gandolfo emphasized how research and field data from NORA help inform policy decisions and ensure that practical, consumer-focused solutions remain part of New York’s broader energy strategy.
The visit underscored the continued collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and the heating fuel industry as New York explores multiple pathways toward cleaner, more efficient home heating.
Reprinted with permission from the New York State Energy Coalition.
The state House passed legislation that could allow electric utilities to finance the conversion of fossil fuel furnaces to electric heat pumps using ratebase revenue, the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association reported in the Dec. 22 issue of its Express Update.
House Bill 505 (Donahue, D-Lackawanna) is part of Governor
Shapiro’s energy policy package known as the Lightning Plan and would amend Act 129 of 2006, which requires electric utilities —under the oversight of the Public Utility Commission—to offer energy efficiency programs designed to reduce electricity use, with plans approved every five years. HB 505 would add electric heat pumps to the list of eligible technologies utilities may use to meet Act 129 goals and would raise the cap on program spending from 3% to 10% of total utility revenue, funded through customer surcharges on electric bills. Since Act 129’s inception, these funds have been understood not to be used for fuel switching; however, upon HB 505’s introduction, PPA raised concerns that its language could permit financing the conversion of existing oil, propane, or natural gas systems to electric heat pumps. Despite expert recommendations to include clarifying language prohibiting the use of ratebase funds for fuel switching, such an amendment was rejected, and the bill passed on a strict partyline vote of 102 Democrats to 101 Republicans. PPA has since been laying the groundwork to oppose the bill in the Senate, emphasizing that ratebase-funded fuel switching contradicts state policy supporting fuel diversity, strains an already overburdened electric grid amid rising data center demand, and would likely increase electricity costs for consumers already facing higher rates; in the near future, the Association will provide members with messaging and a grassroots platform to voice opposition to HB 505.
The state legislature finished 2025 with one of the lowest numbers of passed bills in the past decade. Lawmakers and observers attribute the low output to divided government, intense partisanship, and a prolonged budget impasse, which have stalled many measures and limited session activity. Some legislators point out that many bills “sit in committee,” while others argue that legislative productivity isn’t solely measured by the number of laws enacted, noting that some proposals are folded into other bills or addressed through budget actions.
Reprinted from the Dec. 22, 2025, issue of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Association’s Express Update, this excerpt has been edited for clarity and length.