The Tri-Fuel Boiler by Thermal Leverage

A Viable Solution for Local Law 97 Compliance

Anyone serving the HVAC industry in or near the city of New York has undoubtedly been consumed with developing a game plan for adherence with Local Law 97.

For those who are unfamiliar with Local Law 97 it can be summarized as follows:

Local Law 97

Under this groundbreaking law, most buildings over 25,000 square feet are required to meet new energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions limits as of 2024, with stricter limits coming into effect in 2030. The goal is to reduce the emissions produced by the city’s largest buildings by 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. The law also established the Local Law 97 Advisory Board and Climate Working Groups to advise the city on how best to meet these aggressive sustainability goals.

Local Law 97 generally covers, with some exceptions:

• Buildings that exceed 25,000 gross square feet.
• Two or more buildings on the same tax lot that together exceed 50,000 square feet.
• Two or more buildings owned by a condo association that is governed by the same board of managers and that together exceed 50,000 square feet.

In short, LL97 is driving the removal of fossil fuel-based technologies for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water generation for most buildings in the city of NY. The main objective of the edict is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These gases largely consist of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons.

Building owners are required to convert these systems to various electric-based technologies including but not limited to electric heaters, heat pumps, VRF, electric boilers, etc.

Many of these technologies will require significant and expensive upgrades to the electric infrastructure and power grid supplying the building being served. In addition, the connected heating infrastructure (piping mains, radiation, terminal units, etc.) in most cases needs to be removed and replaced to accommodate these new technologies.

ATI, in conjunction with Power Flame and Engineered Systems recently hosted a webinar explaining the science of technologies we are introducing to equip engineers and building owners with options for adherence to LL97 without complete infrastructure replacement. One of these technologies is the Tri-Fuel boiler by Thermal Leverage.

The Thermal Leverage Tri-Fuel Boiler is a 4-pass scotch marine firetube boiler that is capable of burning natural gas, manufactured gas, biogas, digester gas and hydrogen blends up to 30%.  It will burn #2 oil, diesel, renewable diesel, and biodiesel B20 through B100.

The third fuel source that makes this boiler particularly unique is its ability to operate on electric, with 99% efficiency and zero carbon or greenhouse emissions. The boiler can be fired 100% on any of the selected fuels or can be dual fired with any combination of gas or oil with electricity.

The Tri-Fuel boiler is available as a factory packaged assembly or can be field erected on site.  One of the true benefits of the boiler is its ability to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, even when firing on gas or oil.

The Power Flame burner end of the boiler can be equipped to fire low NOx gas and/or renewable diesel, each of which greatly reduces GHG emissions.  This is particularly important as the city has recently given notice that due to the limited availability of sufficient upgraded electric service required for operation on electric, as long as you have an implementation plan for reducing GHG emissions, you are eligible to receive a 36 month stay from fines.

We at ATI feel this is a breakthrough for building owners who were at a loss to find a solution to the fines that were being levied as early as 1/1/2024.  To be clear, the Tri-Fuel boiler will give you the ability to continue to burn gas or oils for at least the next three years and likely beyond.  You have the option of equipping the boiler with the electric elements and panel now, or capping off the element flanges for installation at a future date when the electric infrastructure is available from your utility.

The efficient four-pass scotch marine design enables the boiler to operate at efficiencies in excess of 85-86% when firing gas or oil.  It comes with a 15-year warranty on the boiler shell and tube sheets and a 1-year warranty on tubes.

It can be engineered to work as a stand-alone system or as a hybrid technology to be used in tandem with heat pump or VRF technologies.

Contact your local ATI representative for more information on how YOU can be ready for LL97 compliance immediately.

Sincerely,
Frank D. Morgigno
President