Oil, an energy of the past
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Heating oil is a fossil fuel refined from petroleum and emits the most carbon dioxide. A non-renewable energy, it is also subject to fluctuations in the price of petroleum. These “black marks” against it warrant its being set aside as time goes by.
Heating oil: Where and why it is used
Beyond the traditional uses of oil products in transportation, heating and petrochemicals, heating oil is also used as a response to specific constraints arising from the electric utility sector such as:
- A start-up fuel for most power plants.
- “Reserve” fuel for peak usage periods so electricity output may be matched to consumption.
- The main fuel that powers many small power stations in regions where its availability and accessibility are a major advantage (
South America and thePacific Islands ).
However, its use is decreasing in favour of other less polluting, more plentiful and more economical energy resources.
A polluting, non-renewable energy source
In response to the Group’s sustainable development goals, both the company and its subsidiaries have been committed for many years to modernizing their oil-fired power plants so that they can use other fuels such as biomass on an alternate basis.
But, it is obvious that heating oil – given that it is a non-renewable, highly polluting resource subject to fluctuations in the price of oil – is slated to be given up. Proof of this comes from the fact that in the Group, power production from heating oil only accounts for 1% of total production.
