A £250,000 research project is set to discover how a bio-heating oil could replace kerosene and gas oil to become the fuel of choice to heat buildings.
The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) and the ICOM Energy Association (ICOM) are backing the project which aims to show that liquid biofuels can be a ''straight swap' for traditional heating oils.

'With electricity and gas prices continuing to rise and a legally binding UK renewable energy target of 15% by 2020, existing users of heating oil must be provided with a bio-fuel option or we will have let down our customers in both the commercial and domestic sectors', said Peter McCree, chief executive of ICOM.

The University of Anglia will work with Norfolk-based firm Clean Energy Consultancy to conduct research for the two associations.

Project field trials will test up to 30 oil fired appliances in a 12 month period to determine long term reliability. Combustion head condition, emissions, fuel tank condition, filters, valves, fuel lines, fuel seals, appliance efficiency and combustion chamber corrosion rates will be evaluated.

The three stages of the project are combustion laboratory testing, field trials and a final project combustion report. The project is scheduled for completion by May 2009.