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CT's Best
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Devine Bros, Inc and Santa Energy, Inc
Mike Devine, president of Devine Brothers Inc. said, "We can blend, store and (expand) this operation if it goes well, we're ready to do that. But, if we don't sell one gallon, I'm still going to be glad we brought it to the market. And we'll use it all ourselves. I'm using it in my house right now." "We are not big business. We're local business," he added. "We see it as an opportunity to make a real difference."
Tom Santa, president of Santa Energy Inc. said, "We decided to offer Bioheat to our customers for a number of reasons. It is a cleaner burning fuel and has virtually no sulphur, it's good for the environment, it has renewable benefits and it is a domestic product that is needed and should be encouraged." Senator Lieberman thanks Devine Brothers and Santa Energy for their innovation in providing consumers with a fuel efficient and environmentally sound home heating alternative. |
Youth Heroes
Diner Stops
Delegation
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Senator Joe Lieberman honors the Devine Brothers Inc. and the Santa Energy Inc. as Joe's Heroes for their pioneering use of an alternative home heating oil blend that combines conventional oil with biofuel. These two Connecticut companies are the only two in the state that supply a biofuel blend for home heating purposes. Biofuel is made from treated soybean oil blended with conventional home heating oil at a ratio of 5% biofuel, 95% low-sulphur oil to produce an alternative home heating oil that can be burned in a conventional oil furnace without any equipment modifications. This blend is also referred to as B5. When biofuel is mixed with conventional fuels, it acts as a detergent, flushing out debris that can cause furnaces to run less efficiently and break down. It also has the highest British Thermal Units (BTU) content of any alternative fuel, is biodegradable and non-toxic. Test have also show that using a blend of traditional heating oil and biofuel can reduce air emissions that can contribute to global warming and have detrimental effects on human health. 
Devine Brothers Inc., in Norwalk , began offering the biofuel in 2004 and it initially accounted for 2-3% of their business. The company estimates it will account for 25% of their home heating oil sales for 2005 and in 2006 the company will switch 100% of their customers to this fuel. Devine Brothers sells a biofuel blend called Bioheat for a price that is either equal to or slightly less than conventional heating oil by passing on 100% of the saving they recognize by utilizing the federal Blenders Tax Credit to their customers. They do this as an incentive for their customers to use this alternative fuel because they feel that its environmental benefits, as well as the fact that Bioheat is an American made product, are important. 
Santa Energy Inc., in Bridgeport , began selling a biofuel blend in October 2005. Within one year all of its customers will be using the new alternative fuel mixture. The company's biofuel blend is composed of 5% biofuel, 95% low-sulphur conventional heating oil. However, the conventional blend does not exceed a sulphur content of 0.2%, which is below the state's maximum regulation of 0.3% sulphur. On a survey Santa Energy sent out to its customers prior to introducing a biofuel blend alterntaive, it found that low-sulphur and reduced air emissions are important to 95% of their customers and higher fuel efficiency is important to 99%.