Vicinity Energy, owner of the nation’s largest portfolio of district energy systems, announces it has signed a long-term fuel supply agreement with Lifecycle Renewables, a Boston-based firm that produces LR100TM, a unique biogenic fuel derived from waste vegetable oil and fats discarded by the food service industry. The partnership will provide Vicinity with expanded access to this clean, renewable fuel to replace conventional fossil fuel oil in its district energy facilities, a milestone in the company’s roadmap to reach net zero carbon by 2050. The partnership also enables the immediate expansion of Lifecycle’s operations in Philadelphia, creating local jobs and supporting economic growth.
Vicinity Energy centrally produces and distributes steam, hot water and chilled water to over 230 million square feet (nearly eight square miles) of building space nationwide. Now, in partnership with Lifecycle Renewables, Vicinity will begin to integrate LR100TMacross each of its facilities over time. Permits have already been acquired and the biogenic fuel tested in Philadelphia, with implementation in other districts on the immediate horizon. A truly circular solution, the wastes discarded by the local food service industry will now be used to heat and cool businesses and institutions in the same city.
The benefits of transitioning to LR100TMinclude:
- Significantly reducing Vicinity’s distillate fuel use, cutting carbon emissions by 12,200 tons, or the equivalent of removing 2,650 cars from Philadelphia’s roads each year
- Recycling 600,000 gallons of food service industry waste oil (the average person consumes approximately 1.5 gallons of oil a year) into energy, which would otherwise be discarded in landfills or city sewers
- Expanding Lifecycle Renewables’ operations in Philadelphia, resulting in job creation, recycling programs and cost savings for local restaurants, and sustainability benefits for the community
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% versus distillate fuel, improving local air quality through reductions in nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate emissions compared to traditional heavy fuel oils
“Vicinity is excited to partner with Lifecycle Renewables to accelerate our shared mission to reduce the carbon footprint of the communities we serve and deliver sustainable, local and circular energy solutions to our customers in support of nationwide carbon reduction goals,” said Bill DiCroce, president and CEO of Vicinity Energy. “Lifecycle Renewables has a proven record of delivering renewable heating oil that aligns with our Clean Energy Future roadmap, and we’re proud to move forward with this biogenic fuel supply agreement to support a cleaner, healthier environment.”
“We chose to partner with Vicinity because they are the most forward-thinking district energy company in the nation,” said Rory Gaunt, president and CEO of Lifecycle Renewables. “Their ambitious march towards net zero carbon emissions provides Lifecycle Renewables an opportunity to have a positive environmental impact on hundreds of millions of square feet of building space where our fellow Americans live, work, and play. We look forward to growing our partnership in response to Vicinity’s increased demand for our renewable fuel. Our team is energized by the opportunity to supply renewable heating oil to Vicinity, as they continue on the path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”