Large reduction in distillate fuel sulfur content has only minor effect on energy content

Distillate fuel oil supply consists of diesel fuel used in diesel engines and heating oil used in furnaces and boilers. Over the past 20 years, the EPA has regulated the amount of sulfur contained in diesel fuel to enable reductions in harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from diesel engines. Since 2006, most distillate fuel has had less than 15 ppm of sulfur, compared to an average of 3,000 ppm in the 1990s. This has improved air quality with only a minor effect on the energy content of distillate fuel. More »