Lifecycle Renewables, the creator of Truburn, a renewable heating oil that reduces greenhouse emissions by over 86 percent, today released the results of an independent report, Sustainable Heat: Options for Decarbonizing Cold-Region Higher Education Campus Heating Systems. The landmark report, commissioned by Lifecycle Renewables and conducted by David Gardiner and Associates, an unbiased environmental consulting firm, examines the many reasons higher education institutions are decarbonizing their fossil fuel heating infrastructure across their campuses and moving to more sustainable energy sources. The report explores the multiple pathways universities can take to achieve these goals, including converting to biofuels like Truburn, renewable natural gas, electric boilers and heat pumps, geothermal energy, and more.

Fossil fuel-based campus heating systems have long been a significant source of direct greenhouse gas emissions for universities and colleges, especially in cold-weather climates like New England and the Northeastern states. The report addresses the complexities of this issue by reviewing numerous heating decarbonization pathways and technology options that higher education institutions can use to reduce their carbon emissions over time.

"We commissioned this report as an unbiased, educational resource for colleges and universities across the Northeast as they've struggled to find a cost-effective approach to shift away from fossil fuels to heat their campuses," said Rory Gaunt, CEO of Lifecycle Renewables. "What we learned in the process is there's no straight line to decarbonization. No universal solution exists due to the diversity in campus sizes, climates, and infrastructure. Instead, each university must take smaller steps on their specific pathway forward, with carbon neutrality being the end goal."

Key learnings from the report include:

• Most universities and colleges can immediately shift from using fossil-based fuels to biogenic fuels, or biofuels (such as Truburn) with minimal capital investment or equipment conversions.
• Electrified heating technologies such as e-boilers and heat pumps can dramatically cut a higher education institution's Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions. However, electrification does not automatically equate to zero carbon emissions. Because the U.S. electric grid is predominantly powered by fossil fuels, electrifying could raise an institution's Scope 2 emissions. Additionally, grid capacity is not currently available for large conversions of thermal energy output to be transmitted electrically.
• Electrified heating technologies also require more capital investment compared to biofuels, with electric boilers on the lower end and heat pumps on the higher end. Heat pump technology requires additional space and a completely new HVAC infrastructure.
• Geothermal technology is the only technology reviewed in the report that is assuredly zero carbon. However, if paired with heat pumps, it may be associated with Scope 2 emissions. Geothermal technology has high capital costs because the project budget must cover both system construction and the expenses associated with investigating geothermal potential and drilling bore holes.

The report also includes real-world case studies from eight colleges and universities, including Bates College, the University of Maine, Boston University, Connecticut College, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Iowa, that share their lessons learned on the pathway to decarbonization.

Campus energy managers, directors of utilities, facilities managers, and chief sustainability officers can download a free copy of the report. Truburn fuel by Lifecycle Renewables is a sponsor and exhibitor at the CampusEnergy2025 conference, held February 3-6, 2025, at the Westin Boston Seaport Hotel in Boston, Mass., and is offering free copies of the report to attendees who visit table #1 in the exhibit hall.