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Home · BioHeat™ · BioDiesel · FAQ Biofuel News · Why? · Consulting · Contact Us Biofuel, a natural plant based alternative to heating oil and diesel fuel, is now available in Maine. Read More...
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Biofuel in the News:
May, 2005 – Waterville, ME Biofuel comes of age Courtesy of the Morning Sentinel Written by Colin Hickey, Staff Writer SOUTH CHINA -- When he started selling biofuel four years ago, Joel Glatz of Frontier Energy relied on the environmentally conscious to buy his blend of petroleum and renewable, biodegradable fuel. Most other people balked at the 30-cent difference between traditional home heating oil and the B-20 (20 percent biofuel, 80 percent petroleum) fuel he mixed at his distribution center on Route 3. Glatz survived because Frontier Energy is a division of Frontier Oil, a traditional oil dealer that provides 100 percent petroleum products -- gas, diesel, home heating oil -- to customers in central Maine. But today, with a barrel of crude selling for more than $50, the price differential between a gallon of biofuel and regular heating oil recently shrunk to about 6 cents ($2.15 as opposed to $2.09), and Glatz is betting that the more competitive price, coupled with fears about the world oil situation and a desire to be more energy-independent, will make biofuel more appealing to the masses. "The early adapters are what we call the choir members," Glatz said. "Now it is definitely changing, and our whole focus is changing, in that we are not as apt to emphasize those green issues." Instead, Glatz is emphasizing what he calls "red, white and blue" issues, the fact that biofuel is derived from plant oils or animal fats, products that are abundant here on the home front. Glatz sells both BioHeat (fuel for home heating) and biodiesel for vehicles, mostly at B-20 concentration. Both are forms of biodiesel, although the version for vehicles, as mandated by federal laws, has a much lower sulfur content. Beth Nagusky, executive director of Maine's Office of Energy Independence and Security, was one of Frontier Energy's first home heating customers. She, too, sees biofuel becoming more popular, especially if the price gap between that energy source and traditional fuel continues to narrow. She also expects the cost of biofuel to be more stable. "Biodiesel is made in the United States," she said. "It doesn't depend on OPEC pricing strategies to determine its price." Last year, the state paid between $1.38 and $1.42 per gallon for B-20 biofuel to heat 20 state office buildings, Nagusky said. Regular heating oil was selling for $1.27 per gallon at the time, she said. Nagusky said the state has yet to purchase fuel for the next heating season. Glatz has enlisted the aid of a Portland advertising company to help him attract biofuel customers who are not members of the environmental choir. That campaign is built around Methyl Esther, a superhero who delivers bioheat from Frontier Energy to households anxious about the rising cost and volatility of world oil prices. Methyl ester is the chemical name for one form of biofuel. "Across Maine, homeowners search for an alternative fuel to heat their homes," the advertisement states. And later: "It doesn't take a superhero to know that using cleaner, renewable BioHeat can help our economy and our planet." Glatz sees a potential for a breakthrough in biofuel sales. He originally offered the alternative to straight petroleum, he said, out of ethical concern: He worried about the environmental damage caused by the product he sold. At the same time, he had built a livelihood around being an oil dealer. "I couldn't just walk away from it," he said, "so I had this real conundrum I was in, and it really put me in a funk." Thus was born the Frontier Energy division of Frontier Oil. Gerard Bouchard of Vassalboro had been a customer of Frontier Oil, heating his home with the traditional heating oil the company delivered. But when B-20 biofuel became available, Bouchard made the switch immediately, despite the higher price. Bouchard said he did not need much convincing. For many years, he said, he has been concerned that ever-growing consumption of oil eventually will drain the supply and destroy the environment. Using biofuel, he said, is a way to reduce that consumption and help the environment at the same time. "When the opportunity presented itself with Frontier Energy," he said, "we definitely took a stand and went with them." Bouchard said he didn't flinch at paying a higher price for heating fuel. Now that the price difference has narrowed considerably, he hopes that more people will make the switch.
February, 2005 – Belfast to Rockland, Maine BioHeat™ becomes available for Midcoast Maine MIDCOAST MAINE--Frontier Energy, Maine’s distributor of BioHeat™ and BioDiesel, is pleased to announce that beginning this Valentine’s Day, February 14, they will be offering BioHeat™ to customers in the cities and towns of Belfast, Northport, Lincolnville, Camden, Rockport and Rockland. ...Read more
December 29, 2004 – Augusta, Maine Maine Public Radio recently did a story featuring BioHeat™ and Frontier Energy at Maine's State Capitol Buildings. Click on the following link to listen to this radio piece: http://www.mainepublicradio.org/asx/041229biodiesel.asx
August 18, 2004 – Augusta, Maine AUGUSTA--The State of Maine will be using 10% bio-heating oil in the Capitol building, the Governor’s mansion, and many State office buildings for the 2004 – 2005 heating season. Frontier Energy of South China, Maine...Read more
April 21, 2003 – South China, Maine Frontier Energy reaches new milestone SOUTH CHINA--Frontier Energy of South China reached another milestone this week with the arrival of the first railcar of Biodiesel ever to reach the state of Maine...Read more
April 7, 2003 – South China, Maine L.L. Bean begins using biodiesel in their fleet PORTLAND--L.L. Bean today becomes the first major Maine company to test market Biodiesel in their distribution fleet...Read more
Mother Earth News discusses biofuel as home heating oil in the December 2003 issue. Click here to read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/2003_December_January/Heat_Your_House_with_Biodiesel
For an explanation of biofuel that makes sense for kids, visit http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/kids_sheet.pdf
The partnership between LL Bean and Frontier Energy is discussed at length in the following article
http://www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/ccn/archive/7_1states.html |
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