Bioheat® Fuel Blends 101
Are you looking to make the transition to Bioheat® fuel? Great! You’ve come to the right place to get all the facts about what makes Bioheat® fuel one of the best alternative heating options on the market. But did you know that there are several different types of Bioheat® fuel available to consumers? The type of Bioheat® fuel that is available to you can depend on state mandates and the heating company that you use. Read this blog post to learn about the different types of Bioheat® fuel and how you can find out which is available in your area.
Different Blends of Bioheat® Fuel Available Now
Bioheat® fuel is made by blending ultra-low sulfur heating oil with renewable biodiesel. Biodiesel is produced domestically in the US and is made with agricultural by-products like soybean oil, recycled cooking grease, animal fats, and other organic materials. If you search the Internet for different types of Bioheat® fuel, you’ll come across names like B2, B5, and B20. These are designations for blends of Bioheat® fuel and indicate the percentage of biodiesel. The most common Bioheat® fuel blends on the market are:
- B2 Bioheat® Fuel: 98% ULS heating oil and 2% biodiesel.
- B5 Bioheat® Fuel: 95% ULS heating oil and 5% biodiesel.
- B20 Bioheat® Plus Fuel: 80% ULS heating oil and 20% biodiesel.
The Road to Net-Zero Starts Here
The heating oil and biodiesel industries have made a pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by slowly increasing the percentage of renewable biodiesel in Bioheat® fuel. The industry has already made significant strides by developing B20 Bioheat® Plus and plans to make this the standard blend by 2023. The industry will continue research and development to slowly increase the biodiesel content over time to achieve B50 Bioheat® fuel by 2030 and then B100 Bioheat® fuel by 2050. B100 Bioheat® fuel will be 100% biofuel and carbon neutral.
What Type of Bioheat® Fuel Is Available in My Area?
To find out what type of Bioheat® fuel is available to you, start with your state. Some states in the Northeast have mandates in place that already require heating oil providers to deliver Bioheat® heating fuel. If you live in one of these states and use oil heat, you are already using Bioheat® fuel! If you aren’t sure, call your heating oil provider and ask if they deliver Bioheat® fuel and what blends they offer.