Oil Company Suggests Bio Heat as a Clean-Burning Alternative

Posted: Jan 15, 2012
Author: Bumgarner Oil

Oil company debates about America’s dependency on foreign oil are heating up across the country. In the meantime, two of the most readily available and renewable energy sources – bio heat and bio diesel – are providing effective solutions.

Bio heat is a blend of US-made bio diesel (a refined fuel made from sources like soybeans) and home heating oil. If you want to convert to bio heat, you don’t have to make any changes to your tank, boiler or furnace. Bio heat burns cleanly and your system should stay at peak performance for longer periods. In addition, you’ll be doing something good for the environment.

Bio heat is produced from any natural oil or fat (e.g., soybean oil). It goes through a process called transesterification – a chemical reaction that occurs when alcohol is mixed with the oil to remove glycerin.

Before bio heat can be used as a fuel, it has to meet stringent industrial specifications. Here are a few of its key benefits:

• Decreases the country’s dependence on imported oil. If millions of gallons of petroleum-based oils in American homes were replaced by bio heat, homeowners would be less vulnerable to supply disruptions caused by international politics.
• Bio heat is nontoxic, biodegradable and renewable. Its sources can be re-grown across America continually. It’s also virtually free of impurities and sulfur.
• Saves wear and tear on heating systems (and the environment). Because it has a negligible sulfur content, it burns cleanly, resulting in better fuel efficiency, fewer breakdowns and extended life of equipment.
• The energy content of bio heat is the same as heating oil, so it delivers an equivalent amount of heat.