The European Heating Oil Association (Eurofuel) represents the national organisations that promote the use of heating oil for domestic heating in 10 European countries, including over 10 000 companies. Eurofuel is engaged in the promotion of existing and innovative techniques for heating oil and equipment, in the domestic market. In this way, our members are committed to ensuring the competitiveness and efficiency of heating with oil, while also reducing its environmental footprint.

The objectives of Eurofuel are to:

• Share information and best practices in the field of communication.
• Represent the interests of the heating oil sector in the European Institutions, as well as in other international organisations and fora.
• Promote and develop new techniques for heating oil, such as fuel cell technology, heat pumps and the use of heating oil in new equipment.
• Provide best-practice information on hybrid heating & hot water systems combining oil & renewable solar thermal technologies.
• Promote and share information within Europe on R&D laboratory tests & customer field trials using liquid biofuel blends for heating purposes.
• Sustain and improve heating systems with oil as a competitive energy source, including information exchange with partners in the USA.
• Promote the proper installation and maintenance of oil heating equipment, including the training of competent technicians.
  

DOMESTIC HEATING OIL: AN ENERGY EFFICIENT DOMESTIC HEATING SOLUTION

• Companies represented in Eurofuel, through their national organisations, include producers and traders of heating oil, as well as manufacturers of heating oil equipment and many other allied businesses.
• The heating oil market for domestic heating is represented to a large extent by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are key in boosting economic growth and employment in Europe.
• The annual consumption of heating oil is about 18% of the total energy, and amounts to about one-third of the fossil fuels provided to households, for heating purposes.
• The European oil heating industry has an annual retail price turnover of 50 billion Euros for oil, and 2.6 billion Euros for equipment.

The use of domestic heating oil is essential to society:

• Heating oil for domestic purposes represents about one-fifth of the total energy provided to households.
• Heating oil ensures consumer choice, as the heating oil industry operates in an open and competitive market, governed by competitive suppliers.
• Through its network independence, heating oil provides individual security stocks via each household's oil storage tank.
• Safety in operations is guaranteed through heating oil and heating oil equipment applying the highest standards of technical performance.
• Heating oil provides the consumer with overall heating comfort and ready hot water during all seasons.
• Water-based central heating with oil ensures healthy indoor air quality.

• New heating oil equipment, i.e. condensing boilers, increases energy efficiency and reduces emission of Greenhouse Gases.
• The use of high-efficiency boilers presents considerable marginal Greenhouse Gas emission reduction advantages, compared to changing the input fuel used.
• Heating oil presents the optimal conditions for integrating renewable energies, such as solar thermal heating.
• Liquid fuels have very low emissions of particulates (PM10 & PM2.5), SOx, NOx & carbon monoxide, preserving a high level of ambient air quality.

EUROFUEL'S VIEW ON FUTURE POLICY

• Emphasize that the most effective way of enhancing energy end-use efficiency is to promote the availability to the consumer of highly efficient appliances (e.g. heating equipment), as well as their professional maintenance.
• Encourage the development of a combination of renewable energy sources with oil heating in parallel to the development of improved energy-efficient heating oil systems.
• Ensure equal treatment of all energy sources, and a level playing field in the context of energy efficiency regulations.
• Focus on improved standards for energy efficiency in products. Stringent energy efficiency standards for appliances should be set up through voluntary agreements.
• Focus on development and use of heating fuels producing less Greenhouse Gases, taking into account the entire life cycle.
• Consider launching information campaigns on energy savings targeted to end-use customers coordinated by the industry association through branch agreements.

COMMITMENTS OF OUR INDUSTRY

• Contributing to the innovation of new highly energy-efficient techniques for heating equipment and heating oil.
• Promote new products, such as oil condensing boiler technology and suitable fuels, and advice for modernization and saving energy.
• Focus on the modernization of old oil-heating installations, which can then save up to 40 % of heating oil and related CO2 emissions.
• Encourage regular inspections and maintenance programmes offered to the end-customer, to maintain energy efficiency throughout the entire product life cycle.
• Offer objective, accurate comparative information on emissions from heating oil and alternative heating forms.
• Contribute to the development of the best technical standards for domestic energy markets. Exchange best practices between member countries and related organizations.
• Educate & inform consumers, in close cooperation with the associations of the heating equipment companies, and with installers, about best practices and energy efficiency measures.
• Work with legislators and stakeholders to develop frameworks for the progressive introduction of liquid biofuels for domestic heating.