Opinion
A Lone Voice No More:
Project Carbon Freedom
With the stroke of a pen,
President Joe Biden eliminated
more than 10,000
U.S. energy jobs on day one of his
presidency by killing the construction
of the Keystone XL Pipeline through
an Executive Order. Now, he faces
pressure to shut down the Dakota Access
Pipeline to move domestic crude
from North Dakota to Illinois. Next,
they are coming for you.
By “they” I mean decision-makers
at all levels of government, from
the highest Federal officials to local
councils and everything in between-
By incorporating Bioheat fuel,
you help feed U.S. farmers who help
feed the world and whose soybean
oil provides more than half of the
material inputs for sustainable
biodiesel. In doing so, you support
livestock producers who—as
the providers of the steaks, pork
chops and chicken wings you love
so much—depend on cheap soybean
meal in order to keep costs down and
food prices in check. Drivers transport
feedstock, biodiesel and Bioheat
fuel from factories to local terminals.
You are needed by the manufacturers
in whose equipment your fuel
In addition to reducing carbon, Bioheat helps farmers, livestock producers, transporters,
manufacturers, low-income communities, the environment and more.
is used, who have spent time and
money testing and approving Bioheat
fuel and Bioheat Plus for use in
their burners, pumps and more.
Closing up shop is not an option.
We all need you. As constituents
to your Federal, State and local
leaders, we all need you to speak up
and tell them why you—providers
of renewable liquid heating fuels
like Bioheat—deserve a seat at the
energy table, where to many of us it
appears there are fewer and fewer
chairs than ever before.
There was a time not so long ago
Paul Nazzaro
President,
Advanced Fuel Solutions,
paulsr@yourfuelsolution.com
when people wisely favored an “allof
the-above” strategy to tackle our
energy and environmental issues. A
“shotgun approach” was the preferred
method, as each of the many
balls of shot represented a technology,
a pathway meant not solve the
problem on its own, but to contribute
one of many solutions that,
together, take down the target.
Objectives
Climate change—Every one of our
State trade associations voluntarily
committed fuel oil dealers to achieving
net-zero carbon emissions by
2050 via the Providence Resolution.
By 2023, B20 blends of Bioheat Plus
will achieve 15% carbon emission
reductions. By 2030, B50 blends of
Bioheat Super Plus will cut carbon
emissions by 40% and by 2050, pure
B100 Bioheat Super Plus, in addition
to other measures we take, will
get us to the goal line of net-zero
carbon.
Cost and impact on low-income
populations—Studies show that
the cost of home conversions to airsourced
heat pumps can range from
$20,000–$60,000, depending on the
extent of work and involvement of
water heaters or existing oilheat
systems. While middle- and upperclass
homeowners may be able to
absorb this hefty investment, what
about low-income homeowners and
renters? Will landlords be willing
to write these big checks for their
tenants? In addition to installation
costs, what about monthly electricity
bills?
The wholesale cost of electricity
is typically highest in winter. Also
consider this—if middle- and upperclass
homeowners make the switch
to heat pumps, this will put greater
demand on the electric grid and
force prices up for everyone, includ-
And by “you,” I mean fuel oil dealers
who are unwilling to transition your
heating oil business to Bioheat fuel.
However, you are needed, and not
just by your customers who rely on
you for that comforting warmth only
liquid heating fuels can provide.
While customers are the end of
the supply chain for your fuel, this
is only the beginning of the story.
Your employees depend on your
business—on the jobs it provides—
to feed their families. Your company
is needed by the local community
where the paychecks get spent.
4 ICM/March/April 2021