OHIRI Becomes EMARI
The Oil Heat Institute of Rhode Island is re-inventing itself. The trade association announced Oct. 30 that it changed its name to the Energy Marketers Association of Rhode Island (EMARI). The board of directors voted in favor of the name change at its monthly meeting Oct. 16 at Maria’s Cocina in Providence.
OHIRI historically served the interests of Rhode Island’s heating oil dealers and their customers. These dealers sell ultra-low sulfur heating oil blends containing a minimum 5%biofuel. The blended product, commonly referred to as Bioheat fuel or renewable liquid heating fuel, is designed to help Rhode Island homes and businesses achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Rhode Island is the only state with a statewide biofuel-blending requirement for heating oil. Many EMARI members also offer other energy products and services, including diesel, biodiesel, propane, fuel storage tanks, and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems.
“Our new name better reflects our members’ increasingly diverse and environmentally responsible companies,” said EMARI Executive Director Roberta Fagan, who has overseen the group’s rebranding process, which also includes an updated logo designed by New York-based public relations and marketing firm PriMedia, Inc. “As Rhode Island looks to reduce its environmental footprint, EMARI members are poised to lead the state’s residential heating fuel sector to net-zero emissions by 2050. We look forward to continuing our organization’s groundbreaking efforts on this front. Rhode Island’s heating fuel dealers and energy service professionals work tirelessly to ensure the comfort and safety of their customers, and EMARI will continue to work equally hard on behalf of all our members.”
Last month at the Heating & Energizing America Trade Show in Providence, heating oil dealers committed to achieve industry-wide GHG emissions reductions of 15% by 2023, 40% by 2030 and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The agreement, now called the “Providence Resolution,” was endorsed by heating oil associations from six states in the Northeast. A number of local associations have since signed on as well. The Energy Marketers Association of Rhode Island represents 78 member companies that collectively deliver approximately 118 million gallons of renewable liquid heating fuel to over 128,000 Rhode Island homes and businesses per year. For more information, visit warmth4ri.com.
