Northwest Biodiesel Network

Heating Your Home

with Biodiesel

What is the difference between Bioheat® and biodiesel?

Bioheat® is the industry-accepted term for conventional heating oil containing any blend of biodiesel.

Who can use Bioheat®?

Bioheat® can be used in any home heating oil furnace.

What if I want to heat my home with biodiesel but I don’t have an oil furnace?

For those who do not have an oil furnace, a Kuma Biodiesel Stove can be used for home heating with biodiesel. These stoves can be ordered with a specially designed carburetor optimized for biodiesel. They use as little as 1/16th of a gallon per hour and are gravity fed, so they will work during a power outage. Kuma Biodiesel Stoves can be mounted either on a fireplace hearth and vented up the chimney or anywhere in the home and vented through a hole in the wall. They also come in a variety of burner sizes depending on a home’s square footage. The biodiesel fuel tank that feeds the stove can be any size and can be located indoors or outdoors.

What are the benefits of using biodiesel to heat my home?

Biodiesel use has environmental benefits, provides energy independence, and supports local and rural communities. Biodiesel has undergone considerable emissions testing that has proven it to be a clean, environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to conventional heating oil.

Using biodiesel reduces the amount of harmful emissions released into the air, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a variety of toxic and carcinogenic compounds found in diesel exhaust.

Domestically produced biodiesel reduces our dependence on foreign oil and helps provide energy independence. Domestic biodiesel also supports rural and local economic development by supporting American farmers that grow oilseed crops used for making the fuel. Biodiesel is produced by national and local producers, many of which are located in rural communities.

What blends of Bioheat® are available for home heating?

Any oil furnace can use a Bioheat® blend of up to 30% biodiesel with no modification (and some research shows that up to a blend of 50% can be used with no modification). Bioheat® blends of up to 99% biodiesel (B99) can be used with some modification. Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum heating oil at any ratio and can be used interchangeably with petroleum heating oil.

What modifications are recommended for using high blends of Bioheat®?

High blends of biodiesel in Bioheat® have solvent properties and are not compatible with all materials. When using blends of Bioheat® higher than B30, the following is recommended:

Install a pump that has biodiesel compatible parts such as a Webster Bio Fuel Pump
Install a fuel filter (older tanks may require both a primary and secondary filter)
Install a Tigerloop™ to optimize fuel filter performance, slow the flow of fuel, and eliminate potential problems associated with pressurized lines
Install a clean cut-off valve
Installation of a post purge may be necessary for chimneys which have a marginal draft

Any modifications to an oil furnace should be made by an experienced, licensed technician.

Are there any precautions for storage and handling of Bioheat®?

The same standard storage and handling procedures used for petroleum heating oil should be used for Bioheat®. The fuel should be stored in a clean, dry, dark environment. A good additive system incorporating stabilizers, dispersants (for condensation), and metal deactivators (metal chelating additives) will help protect the fuel during storage. Bioheat® is recommended to be used within 6-12 months (similar to petroleum heating oil).

What about fuel quality?

All commercially sold biodiesel in the Northwest is required by law to meet quality standards created specifically for biodiesel known as ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) D 6751. Home heating oil must meet ASTM D 396 specifications prior to its being blended with biodiesel. These technical standards ensure consistent, high quality heating fuel.

Our mission:

To promote the use and benefits of biodiesel through awareness campaigns, educational programs, and specific initiatives.

Want more information on biodiesel?

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