In the fall of 2009, homeowner Chris Albert took his first steps toward a cleaner and greener home. He decided to switch his Huntington Station, New York home to BioHeat® ... home heating oil blended with biodiesel.

"I first became aware of biodiesel and Bioheat in 2007, and the more I learned about the environmental benefits and great contributions to American sustainability, the more interested I became," he said.

Since finding a dealer and switching to the Bioheat blend, Albert says his home is as warm as ever.

"Bioheat is just as efficient as standard heating oil, and it has also helped to clean out my furnance," Albert said. "After the first tank, I had the filter changed and it was noticeably dirtier than it had been in previous changes. I've also noticed a little less of a burning-oil smell in my basement."

Primarily used as a transportation fuel, biodiesel, which is already ultra low sulfur, can be blended with regular No. 2 heating oil or low sulfur heating oil to create a Bioheat blend. Most homeowners start out with B5, a 5 percent blend, which meets the ASTM D396 heating oil standards. Albert has used up to B20, depending on availability.

Albert says he's now committed to green heating, and that his wife has teased him about liking biodiesel so much that he wants to drink the stuff. "But that's a story for another time," he joked.

Spring 2010