There’s no escaping the fact that the energy we use to heat our homes and work places is one of the highest contributors to our individual carbon footprints, and all forms of heating do indeed create some sort of carbon impact. Domestic heating oil is a fossil fuel, and whilst there are in fact worse ways to heat off grid homes, home heating oil isn’t the best either in terms of carbon dioxide emissions – but there are ways to reduce your environmental impact and your carbon emissions when using heating oil. Plus you can save on energy costs if you upgrade to premium oil!
We can all do our bit and take action every day to reduce our carbon footprint and our overall impact on the natural environment, but have you ever considered your heating oil and what you can do to lessen the impact of the fuel you use?
Heating oil has the highest stored energy by volume of all fossil fuels, and therefore your oil fired central heating will heat your home much quicker than with any other energy, hence reducing your carbon footprint by using the heating oil for a shorter time. But when your oil central heating boiler burns fuel, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and this carbon dioxide drives climate change. By using cleaner and greener Premium Heating oil instead of standard domestic heating oil, carbon emissions are lowered, and your oil central heating boiler efficiency increased by up to 15%.
So, why is that you may well ask? Well, Premium Heating oil works by cleaning up fuel systems, central heating oil tanks and boilers. Over time, sludge can build up in your heating oil tank, and if this sludge gets stirred up, for instance when you’re receiving a delivery of home heating oil, it can block the filters, and leave deposits of carbon on your system’s components. Premium Heating oil breaks up sludge in your tank, and in addition, the heating oil additives in Premium Heating oil reduce deposit built up around the nozzle and the heat exchanger within your boiler. Not only this, it also keeps fuel fresher for longer, helping to maintain the cleanliness of your boiler meaning it will run more efficiently, reduce the amount of fuel you use, and emit less carbon – all good for the environment, as well as your oil central heating boiler!
Let’s sum up the advantages of Premium Heating oil:
- Provides a cleaner, greener burn with better fuel stability, lowering carbon emissions
- Improves the overall efficiency of your system
- Inhibits the build-up of sludge, carbon and rust as well as reducing deposit build up around nozzles and on heat exchanger surfaces
- Increases the life of your heating oil tank and boiler
- Reduces the chance of maintenance issues and breakdowns
- Increases the shelf life of your fuel
Looking to a cleaner future with HVO:
As part of its work to tackle climate change, in June 2019 the UK government made achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 a legally binding target. For over 10 years the liquid fuel heating industry has been working on a low carbon alternative to heating oil, as changing over from fossil fuels to renewable energy will help tackle climate change and reach the UK’s net zero target. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a renewable and fossil free fuel, is made from certified sustainable waste materials, so it’s cleaner and greener, and reduces carbon emissions by almost 90% compared to standard domestic heating oil. It runs just as efficiently as heating oil and is odourless too.
At Northern Energy, we’re hoping to start offering HVO in 2022. So watch this space!
On top of important environmental considerations is that we’re all feeling our belts tighten with the cost of living crisis which is putting pressure on every type of household. Recent increases in interest rates and higher fuel and food bills are all hitting our pockets and leading to a fall in real disposable income, and with the Bank of England forecasting inflation will peak at 10.2% in the fourth quarter of 2022, this is likely to continue. A poll of 2,000 Times readers found they believe that the cost of living crisis is the biggest challenge facing the UK. The majority ‘have experienced increases in their energy, food and fuel bills’, and almost two thirds think that their financial situation will get worse in the next year’.
Premium Heating oil is better for your pocket too!
So, we all need to do what we can to save energy and save money. And Premium Heating oil can help you do just that. Aside from the environmental benefits of Premium Heating oil versus standard home heating oil, upgrading to Premium Heating oil can save you money. The active ingredients in Premium Heating oil help maintain the quality of fuel and prevent the growth of deposits - boilers without any deposit build up on nozzles or heat exchanger surfaces will consume less oil and require less fuel to achieve optimal temperatures. So due to its cleaner burning qualities, Premium Heating oil is kinder to oil central heating boilers, improving efficiency by up to 15% and therefore reducing fuel consumption.
Whilst Premium Heating oil usually comes at a small additional cost compared to standard domestic heating oil, it can save you money both in the short and long term. Just like premium road fuels can improve your car’s performance, Premium Heating oil can not only reduce energy bills as it burns more cleanly and efficiently than standard heating oil, but it will also help to prolong the lifespan of your oil central heating boiler. So you not only save on your fuel consumption, but it can help your oil heating system run smoother, and avoid costly breakdowns and repairs to your boiler as well as keeping your boiler clean and reducing wear and tear.
So Premium Heating oil is better for your boiler, better for the environment, and better for your pocket – what’s not to like!
Doing that little bit more!
Of course, the savings made can be enhanced with some further simple energy saving steps. For example, having your oil central heating boiler serviced by an OFTEC registered oil heating engineer every year will ensure it continues to run at maximum efficiency, and tips such as draft-proofing and insulating your home, turning your thermostat down by just 1% and fitting thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) can all help reduce your energy consumption. For more information, The Energy Savings Trust has some quick tips to help you save energy at home, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
At Northern Energy we give you more:
Our Premium Package* is one of the ways we give you more, with valuable benefits to provide you with convenience, value and peace of mind. One of these valuable benefits is that we provide Premium Heating oil at no additional cost. And not just that – we also automatically carbon offset your fuel every time we top up your central heating oil tank. Making it easy for you to carbon offset while living off-grid!
And check out our latest blog for recent changes to our Premium Package!
To find out more, click here or call us today on 01423 770 666.
*Terms and conditions apply