1 6 | 2 0 1 7 N O R A A N N U A L R E P O R T cessibility. The content and design was
also revised to include extended information
for consumers on oilheat and
Bioheat® fuel benefits, upgrades, environmental
benefits and dealer service
as well as assistance programs and the
Upgrade & Save NY rebates from Hudson
Valley Oil & Energy Council and
Upstate New York Energy Association.
It also features public information on
NORA training programs and content
for real estate professionals.
In 2017, ESEA coordinated the joint
efforts of Upstate New York Energy
Association (UNYEA) and Hudson Valley
Oil & Energy Council (HVOEC) to
develop the OilheatNY.com energy
efficiency, education, training, and outreach
program. This multi-dimensional
consumer program promoting energy
efficiency, equipment upgrades and
Upgrade & Save rebates included a
new consumer website, and a brand
new multi-media communications
campaign that directed consumers to
“upgrade your lifestyle” and reminded
them that “the answer is oilheat”
to their heating and environmental
concerns. These messages were disseminated
via radio advertising, digital
display and search engine marketing,
realty professional outreach, an
ongoing web presence optimization
campaign including monthly blogs and
social media updates, dealer training,
consumer newsletters, insert slips and
bill inserts, and prewritten content for
dealers to use as needed.
New York City
The New York Oilheat Association
(NYOHA) launched the Upgrade & Save
NYC rebate program in 2016. The program
offers rebates of up to $700 per
home: $500 for efficiency upgrades of
oilheat furnaces or boilers, $100 for
upgrades to an oil burner and controls,
and/or $200 for safety upgrades of
underground or aboveground storage
tanks to new aboveground tanks.
As of August 31, 2018, NYOHA has
remitted $221,200 to 469 homeowners
since its inception. That represents
444 boiler/furnace/burner upgrades
and 34 storage tank replacements. The
rebate program has been successful in
substantially reducing fuel consumption:
on average, boiler efficiency
increased from an AFUE of 72.65% to
85.14% and furnaces from 68.77% to
85.08%. These changes represent a
reduction of approximately 72,656 gallons
of heating oil per year.
NYOHA continues its efforts to
reach realty professionals, agents,
brokers, Realtors® and home inspectors.
Outreach is provided through a
digital newsletter distributed in the
spring and fall. Topics covered include
the benefits to both buyers and sellers
when they upgrade their heating
equipment, the importance of a late
season/spring tank fill-up, service
plans and dealer reliability, and many
others.
As part of its requirements under
the Association charter and the NORA
authorization Act, NYOHA provides
consumer information on Bioheat®
fuel on its website. NYOHA also provides
dealers with free copies of Hot
Ideas!, a consumer centric newsletter
produced six times a year, and
formatted to fit easily in the dealers’
monthly customer mailings. Hot Ideas!
updates New York City residents on
issues ranging from the move to a
region-wide B5 Bioheat® standard,
the success of the Upgrade & Save NYC
program.
Long Island
Oil Heat Comfort Corp. (OHCC)
launched the Upgrade & Save Long
Island rebate program in 2015. The
program currently offers rebates of
up to $600 per home: $300 for efficiency
upgrades of oilheat furnaces or
boilers and $300 for safety upgrades
of underground or aboveground storage
tanks to new aboveground tanks.
OHCC increased equipment upgrade
rebates to $500 during the summer of
2016 to promote the use of oilheat.
As of August 31, 2018, OHCC has
remitted $490,000 to 1,458 homeowners
since its inception. That represents
3,476 equipment upgrades and 2,076
storage tank replacements. The rebate
program has been successful in
substantially reducing fuel consumption:
on average, boiler efficiency
increased from an AFUE of 71.37% to
85.23% and furnaces from 70.32% to
84.42%. These changes represent a
reduction of approximately 553,643
gallons of heating oil per year.
OHCC continues its efforts to
reach realty professionals, agents,
brokers, Realtors® and home inspectors.
Outreach is provided through
a digital newsletter distributed in
the spring and fall. Topics covered
include information about speaking
with homebuyers/new homeowners
about oilheat; the “greening” of Long
Island; the new B5 Bioheat® standard;
the benefits of oilheat, Bioheat® and
equipment upgrades, among many
others.
As part of its requirements under
the organization charter and the
NORA authorization Act, OHCC educates
and communicates with homeowners
through its consumer-facing
website, which was updated to a
device responsive format in 2017. The
revamped site is easier to navigate,
whether accessed from a smartphone
or a desktop computer. Furthermore,
OHCC has placed pro-oilheat mes