By Aldene Fredenburg
The recent spikes in oil and natural gas prices have put the topic of alternative fuels for
home heating at the forefront of discussions around the country. Alternative fuels that in the
past were seen as marginal, odd, or strictly for rural use are getting a second look.
Wood heat has been used for generations in the rural U.S., but has been replaced in the
past fifty years or so by central heating provided by oil- or gas-fired furnaces. However, in
recent years, wood stoves have been making a comeback. Attractive stoves by Jotul and
other manufacturers have taken their place in communal living areas like kitchens and living
rooms to supplement heating while providing a cozy ambiance to the rooms. Wood furnaces,
both internal and external and in many new designs based on the latest technology, provide
the ability to load the furnace so as to provide hours of central heating before needing
re-stoking. An advantage of burning wood, at least in rural areas, is that it can be locally
obtained; people with a wood lot can get it with "sweat equity", and can supplement their
income by supplying their neighbors as well.
New plant-based fuels like wood pellets and corn pellets can also provide heat when used in
specially designed, clean-burning furnaces and stoves. In addition, more and more people
are taking a new look at biodiesel, a fuel manufactured from vegetable oils, primarily
soybean oil. Most furnaces can use B20, a fuel made of 80 percent traditional heating oil
and 20 percent biodiesel, without any adjustments; some people are getting their furnaces
adapted to be able to burn B100, a fuel made entirely of vegetable oils. The biodiesel burns
much cleaner than traditional heating oil, but has its own problems (for one thing, biodiesel
tends to cause rubber gaskets to erode), so be sure to check with your furnace servicer or
manufacturer before you opt for B100.
If you choose to use B100, and your furnace will handle it, you have a couple of options.
B100 is becoming more available around the country; check on the Internet to find a
supplier near you. Also, waste oil - that is, used vegetable oil discarded by restaurants - can
be filtered and used in some furnaces. Several furnaces on the market are designed to burn
waste oil. Commercially manufactured B100 has an additive that keeps it liquid at low
temperatures, which recycled vegetable doesn't contain, so do your research - and check
again with your furnace servicer - before you attempt burning used vegetable oil.
We're facing a new world with lots of challenges in terms of how to heat our homes,
especially in colder winter climates. Luckily there are technologies like wood gasification and
biodeisel, available today which can help us move away from our decades-old dependence
on fossil fuels.
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and
frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and
regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and
local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary
filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in
Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com
