Certas Energy have been busy converting a number of customer properties to liquid renewable fuel for off-grid home heating as part of the Future Ready Fuels Project
Joining the second phase of the fossil fuel replacement demonstration project with UKIFDA, OFTEC and 16 fuel distributors as they have collectively commit to convert 200 homes and businesses across the UK from oil heating to the renewable fuel Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) this winter, amounting to an initial investment of over £800,000.
The demonstration will see properties immediately benefit from up to 90% reduction in carbon emissions. The conversion requires minimal changes to the boiler and storage tank at a cost of around £500 and takes less than an hour to complete.
The fossil-free fuel, sourced from waste cooking oil, fats and greases has been certified as sustainable by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC).
The initiative follows a trial last winter across 20 homes, from Cornwall to Scotland, which demonstrated there were no technical limitations to using HVO as a direct ‘drop-in’ replacement for kerosene.
This second phase broadens the geographic spread and will also, for the first time, allow the industry to test the logistics of what could be a bigger transition to renewable liquid fuels over the coming years for the estimated 1.7 million properties using oil. OFTEC registered heating technicians will carry out regular checks on the appliances to monitor performance.
The demonstration includes participants from all sectors of the liquid fuel heating industry and is being led by trade associations UKIFDA, for the fuel distributors, and OFTEC, for the equipment manufacturer and training providers. Certas Energy are collaborating with the industry and 16 fuel distributors who represent around 80% of the home heating oil market will also be supporting the initiative.
In a joint statement the CEO’s of the trade associations, Ken Cronin of UKIFDA and Paul Rose of OFTEC, said: “We know from our research carried out over the last 12 months that oil heated homes want to decarbonise in a manner which causes the least disruption and offers the lowest cost of change. The drop-in fuel being used in our demonstrations, HVO, represents the most practical and cost-effective solution to both of these requirements.”
OFTEC and UKIFDA are providing regular updates on the new fuel through the information website www.futurereadyfuel.info
