New York governor signs bill to boost use of biodiesel in home heating oil

The governor of New York has signed a bill to increase the use of biodiesel in domestic heating oil.

In a statement, trade body National Biodiesel Board said this “Bioheat” fuel will help New Yorkers to benefit from cleaner air.

The legislation was signed by New York governor Andrew Cuomo and requires Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties to follow New York City’s lead by blending at least 5% biodiesel (B5) into all home heating oil sold by 1 July, 2018.

Heating oil market

“New York has long been a leader in recognising the environmental, public health and economic benefits of biodiesel, not only in transportation applications but in the heating oil market as well,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO at National Biodiesel Board.

He added: “We commend Governor Cuomo for signing this important bill that will provide cleaner air for more New Yorkers by improving emissions from heating oil. Increasing the use of Bioheat in the nation’s largest heating oil market also supports local jobs in the clean energy sector.”

Biodiesel was the first alternative fuel designated as an “advanced biofuel” by the US Environmental Protection Agency and has been verified to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% compared to petroleum.

Assemblyman Steve Englebright and Senator Phil Boyle sponsored the legislation, which is supported by a broad range of industry and environmental advocates due to its environmental and public health benefits.

New York City, the largest municipal consumer of heating oil in the country, has already taken advantage of biodiesel's benefits by instituting a citywide 2% biodiesel requirement in 2012 that increases to 5% on October 1, 2017. Now the entire New York City Metropolitan Area, representing approximately 70 percent of the state’s heating oil market, will have a 5% biodiesel blending requirement.

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that can be used in existing diesel engines without modification.  To be called biodiesel, the fuel must meet the strict quality specifications of ASTM D6751. 

NBB is the US trade association representing the entire biodiesel value chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers, and fuel distributors, as well as the US renewable diesel industry. 

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