The domestic fuel oil sector recalls the usefulness of fuel oil in the heating energy mix

In a context of growing risks on the electricity supply, the French Federation of Combustibles, Carburants & Heating (FF3C) takes the floor and for the first time in the Sunday January 24, 2021 edition of the JDD to claim the decisive role of the use of domestic fuel oil and other storable energies to manage winter heating demand, more particularly so as not to aggravate peaks.

This public expression is reinforced by the publication on January 15, 2021 of a report drafted by France Stratégie (a government forecasting body attached to the Prime Minister) which warns of the growing fragility of electricity systems in France and in Europe to respond to peaks of winter demand and which stigmatizes the poor choices of our country's energy mix.

In the heart of winter and at a time of stigmatization organized by public authorities against users of domestic fuel oil, the sector decided to take the floor to emphasize and recall the role of fuel oil in the balance energy of our country through a full page advertisement that will appear on the JDD on Sunday, January 24, 2021.

This speech aims to highlight and recall the function of balance and collective interest of domestic fuel, not only in the management of our national energy consumption, but also for each of the 10 million French people (12 % of main residences), distributed mainly in the territories, in the heart of peri-urban and rural areas and which do not necessarily have the level of purchasing power sufficient to pay electricity bills.

Indeed, this announcement takes place in a very alarming context of tensions over energy. On Friday January 8, Saturday January 9 and Sunday January 10, 2021, after a national alert, the French were asked to reduce their electricity consumption to be able to cope with the excess demand. During these days and to avoid an energy black-out, RTE, operator of the French electricity network, was led to carry out significant imports of electricity from Germany and to operate at full capacity the French coal-fired power plants emitting massively. CO2.

At the same time, public finances and the invisible contributions weighing on consumers are subsidizing heat pump installations for more than 1 billion euros per year, resulting in an increase in electricity demand in cold periods.

For its part, France Stratégie recalls in his study published on January 15, 2021 that France is in a very vulnerable situation in terms of electricity supply and that the risks of “black-out” are set to multiply. For the organization, the risks are considerable: "... if current trends continue, the only controllable means will not be able to meet all average peak demands ..." ; then to conclude: "Without developing additional flexibilities, our country would then have to rely on imports, knowing that at European level the margins are also negative, that it will not always be possible to rely on imports to complete the supply-demand balance," … ”.

The information also recalls, contrary to the messages disseminated recently by canvassing companies, that there is no ban on the use of heating oil either in 2022 or beyond; that the maintenance and repair of the currently installed boilers will continue to be carried out as necessary. Users of oil-fired boilers have no reason to change them other than to opt for more efficient boilers using a storable fuel.

The sector also reminds that professionals will offer in 2022 a new liquid biofuel - Biofioul - to supply the new boilers installed from 2022. For boilers installed before 2022, this new fuel, compatible with the trajectory of reducing greenhouse gases greenhouse, will be optional and conditioned to the adaptation of the boiler burner. This substitution of fossil fuel oil by Biofuel in boilers installed before 2022 could be favored by specific and incentive taxation.

Biofioul, composed of renewable energy from French agriculture, is a new liquid energy, composed of a part of renewable energy from French rapeseed, whose cultivation not only contributes to the energy sovereignty of France but also to its food sovereignty through the production of equal parts of oil and vegetable proteins that it allows. Biofioul meets all the technical and environmental criteria necessary for the ecological transition. From 2022, the available Biofioul will be composed of 30% renewable plant energy (rapeseed ester). The proportion of incorporation of renewable energy is dynamic and the incorporation rate of 50% is in perspective for 2028.

Finally and contrary to various and often deliberately misleading claims, domestic fuel oil is competitive for heating as the official SOES source indicates (Observation and Statistics Service):

Basis of comparison for a single-family house (price including VAT for 100 kWh PCI) - latest official statements: