Integrating Renewable Fuel Heating Systems

Better Buildings By Design

February 2009

Vermont Sustainable Jobs FundAccelerating the Development of Vermont’s Green Economy

Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund• VSJF is a nonprofit formed by the VT Legislature in 1995 to

accelerate the development of Vermont’s emerging, green economy.

• Providing early stage grants and hands-on technical assistance using our Sustainable Market development model

• i.e., Sustainable agriculture, forest products, renewable energy, environmental technology, and solid waste / pollution abatement.

• Since 2003 ~ Helping biodiesel businesses and on-farm demonstration projects with technical assistance and public policy support; growing Vermont’s biofuels sector from the ground up.

Renewable Heating Fuels

• Biodiesel

• Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO / UFO)

• Perennial Grasses

What Is Biodiesel?

• A renewable, biodegradable, combustible liquid fuel (mono alkyl ester)

• Derived from vegetable oil or animal fat

– Typically soy oil, canola, “yellow grease”and fats

• Meets ASTM specification D6751

• Marketed as pure biodiesel (“B100”) or blended with diesel / No. 2 oil (“B20”)

Why Biodiesel?Benefits of Biodiesel• Fully tested, approved and miscible• UL, ASTM and OEMs have given their blessing• Reduced CO2 and Other Emissions• Domestic Renewable Energy Supply

Market Barriers• Storage and Supply Infrastructure• End-User Experience (education)• Cost

Lower Emissions*

Biodiesel (B20) Tailpipe Stack

CO2

Carbon Monoxide

Particulate Matter

NOx (nitrates)

SOx (sulfates)

PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons)

*Compared to petrodiesel

No Silver Bullets*

1st Generation Bio-energy Fuels

• Biodiesel from vegetable oil and animal fats

– Animal fats & used vegetable oil are a limited resource

– Virgin oilseed crops are a renewable (but “limited”) resource

and yield two high-value products: oil and livestock feed

– Good net energy return on energy invested (EROEI) (~200% to

~400+% return)1

1 Source: USDA / DOE to Piedmont Biofuels

•Biodiesel from algae

–Microalgae with up to 50% lipid content are cultivated in

photo-bioreactors or open ponds

–Significant production potential to meet global demand

–High EROEI

–Commercial production of biodiesel from algae +/- 5 years

–Vermont research & demonstration projects underway

Developing Next Generation or Advanced Bio-energy Fuels

All BiofuelsAre NOT Created Equal

Biofuels produced with conservation safeguards are gaining wider support:

• Reduce ratio of fossil energy input to output; use wastes for feedstocks (increase EROEI)

• Use less water and more renewable energy in refineries.

• Avoid deforestation and use of critical food production land for energy feedstocks.

• Sustainable Biofuels (3rd party) certification is coming soon.

Biodiesel Applications

• B20 burns in any equipment that burns diesel -including oil heat furnaces – with no modifications!

• Most fuel consumers prefer from B20 and up– Significant air quality improvements

– Greater reduction in fossil fuel use

– Little to no performance issues with indoor fuel storage

– Equipment modifications needed for B50 or higher blends

• Most fuel dealers prefer blends from B5 to B10 – New ASTM specs include up to B5

– Up to B5 covered by all OEMs

– Some emissions reduction at minimal cost

– No cold weather performance issues

Known Issues with Biodiesel

• Cold Weather– Biodiesel has a higher cloud point than

petrodiesel

• Materials Compatibility– B20 or lower blends minimize most issues

associated with material compatibility

• Detergent Effect– Filter clogging can occur, especially with

older systems

2007 Vermont Bioheat Study

• Two HVAC Vocational Tech Centers– Two instructors and twenty students

– Five different heating units

• Two Vermont Fuel Dealers

• Twenty six homes

• 20,000 gallons of B20

• One Vermont winter

And the Results…

• B20 works as a heating fuel in Vermont

• Negligible decrease in combustion efficiency

– Less than 1%

• Amperage draw & cad cell resistance slightly up

– No negative impact to system performance

• CO2 emission levels down 3% to 4%

Testimonials

• Patterson Fuels (Richmond): “B20 performed as well as No. 2 fuel in a heating application. We will recommend it to any customer currently burning No. 2 fuel”

• CVPH (Middlebury): “We experienced no more problems with the boilers and furnaces at Middlebury College [using B20 bioheat] than we would expect from units running on No. 2 fuel oil”

Fuel Dealers• Vermont's fuel suppliers

selling biodiesel & blends

Fuel Dealers Selling Biodiesel in Vt.

02

468

101214

1618

2003 2004 2005 2006

No. Fuel Dealers

Fuel Dealers Selling Biodiesel in Vt.

02

468

101214

1618

2003 2004 2005 2006

No. Fuel Dealers

– Jack F. Corse, Inc.– Evans Group– Jackman’s– Champlain Oil– Cota & Cota– Patterson Fuels– Gillespie Fuels– And more…

Okay, so what does it cost?

• Expect to pay ~ $0.01 more per gallon than No. 2 oil, for each % of biodiesel in the blend you are buying.

– For B5; add 2¢ to 5¢– For B10; add 8¢ to 10¢– For B20; add 15¢ to 20¢

• For the ‘average’ VT home using B20, the cost is between $13 and $20 more per month

B100 and SVO as Heating Fuel

• The Good News– They work

– Fossil fuel free and energy self sufficiency

– Dramatic reductions in CO2 and other emissions

– “DIY” or can be very low cost

• On the Other Hand– “Experimental” fuels (B100 & SVO / UFO)

• Equipment modifications, warranties, temperamental

– Finding UFOs isn’t easy!

Grass Energy for Vermont?

• Early stage R&D– UVM Extension; planting perennial grass stock– 5+ tons per acre possible

• For Industrial / Commercial use– 100% grass fuels are feasible– Pelletized (or not)

• For Residential use– Pellet fuel blended with wood fiber

Moving to a multi fuel future

• Low transition cost to go to biodiesel blends with existing infrastructure… here/now

• Convert over time to primary wood and biomass (grass) energy systems with bioheat backup

Synthesis ~ Industrial

Barre Town Boilers

Synthesis ~ Residential

Tarm™ (Bioheat USA™) Excel multi fuel Boiler

Addressing Our Fuel and Energy Needs & Global Climate Change

1. Efficiency and Conservation• High efficiency building standards

• Better buildings by design!• High efficiency heating equipment

2. Smart Growth

3. Regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard

4. Renewables; including biomass & biofuels • With or without fossil fuels

Funding & Support Provided By:

U.S Dept of EnergyOffice of Sen. Patrick LeahyHigh Meadows FundVermont Sustainable Agriculture Council

Vermont Sustainable Jobs FundAccelerating the Development of Vermont’s Green Economy

Contact info:Netaka WhiteBiofuels Directornetaka@vsjf.org(802)-828-0040

www.vsjf.org