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MEMA continued its outreach to
and education of consumers about
the benefits of oilheat and Bioheat®
fuel and equipment upgrades with a
radio campaign targeting Boston and
the surrounding areas.
MICHIGAN
A statewide internet campaign
brought information to oilheat customers
in Michigan. This web based
campaign was done through search
engines, social media with content
based advertising which helped to
ensure consumers in Michigan understand
the value of oilheat. These
outreach ads focus on consistent
temperature, quick heat, which is
clean, safe, reliable and plentiful.
Michigan also ran statewide radio ads
directed at the benefits of oilheat and
Bioheat®. The radio ads hit a cross
section of talk shows and radio networks
across the entire state.
Michigan ran tv ads on the Michigan
Out of Doors statewide tv program.
The ad advocates for the advantages
of oilheat for home and environment
through renewable sources like
Bioheat®. A full page ad was placed
in the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red
Wings game programs also focusing
on the benefits of oilheat being clean,
efficient, safe and renewable.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire has had a series
of programs to assist the industry.
These activities include a robust rebate
program. Ensuring that tanks
are safe and equipment is modern
and efficient are the best benefits for
oilheat consumers.
Additionally, training of the industry
is critical. New Hampshire efforts
include training service professionals
on how to maintain oilheat equipment.
They also include training for
drivers. Complying with federal training
requirements is essential for public
safety, and NORA training has been
essential to those ends.
New Hampshire also has provided
information to consumers on the
benefits of efficiency, oilheat and Bioheat
® as a future fuel.
NEW JERSEY
Continuing to raise the bar, the Fuel
Merchants Association of New Jersey
(FMANJ) expanded its NORA-funded
programs and built on past successes.
FMANJ expanded its outreach to the
real estate community through the
Partnership for Realty and Oilheat Success
(PRO$) program. This year’s program
included the creation and approval
of the first accredited training
course for heating oil education for
real estate professionals anywhere in
the country.
FMANJ continued to expand its
social media outreach with the execution
of the Love My Oilheat New Jersey
Facebook campaign. This effort now
boasts more than 20,000 followers.
Additionally, heating oil dealers were
provided with two issues of the Efficiency
Matters in New Jersey newsletters
for distribution to their customers.
These customer communications
helped dealers promote energy efficiency,
the advent of Bioheat® and
Ultra Low Sulfur Heating Oil and other
important topics.
A new equipment rebate program
was launched as well, with an eye
towards simplifying the process and
increasing customer engagement.
The early results have been extremely
positive, as heating oil customers
have secured twice as many rebates
in the program’s first six months as
they did in all of last year.
FMANJ offered Upgrade & Save New
Jersey rebates in 2016 and 2017. The
program offered rebates of up to
$700 per home: $300 for efficiency
upgrades of oilheat boilers, $250
for efficiency upgrades of oilheat
furnaces, and $700 for upgrades of
integrated heat and hot water units.
FMANJ had minimum AFUE requirements
for rebate eligibility of 87%
for hydronic boilers, 82% for steam
boilers, and 85% for furnaces, In 2016
FMANJ offered $900 for combination
heat-hot water systems.
Through the Upgrade & Save New
Jersey program, FMANJ remitted
$83,350 to 172 homeowners. That
represents 46 boilers, 47 furnaces
and 79 integrated heat and hot water
systems. The rebate program
successfully reduced fuel consumption:
on average, boiler efficiency
increased from an AFUE of 78.77% to
86.85%, furnaces from 75% to 85.56%
integrated systems from 79.45% to
87.16% AFUE and steam boilers from
80.5% to 85.33%. These changes represent
a reduction of approximately
13,773 gallons of heating oil per year.
NEW YORK
As part of its requirements under
the Association charter and the
NORA authorization Act, Empire State
Energy Association (ESEA) provides
consumer information on oilheat
and Bioheat® fuel on its website at
eseany.org. In 2017 this website was
re-developed and is now device-responsive
for mobile and desktop ac