How Clean Is Propane?
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How Clean Is Propane?

Propane Lowers Carbon Emissions in New Homes

Propane gas is a perfect choice for anyone who strives for environmental responsibility, as it is non-toxic and produces minimal emissions. Propane is also harmless to soil or groundwater – an important element for being considered an eco-friendly fuel.

Propane is also a low-carbon fuel that does not adversely contribute to the greenhouse effect. In fact, because of its lower greenhouse gas emissions, the US Environmental Protection Agency gave propane its stamp of approval as a clean-burning alternative fuel.

In one recent example, a 2024 propane construction research project has shown that homebuilders that installed propane-powered systems collectively recorded a reduction of carbon emissions of 35% per project. Plus, thousands of homeowners also experienced lower energy bills and enjoyed more comfort thanks to the power of propane.

To date, this propane research program has collected data from more than 5,300 homes across the country, which showed a reduction of more than 40 million pounds of carbon output. This is equivalent to an entire year of CO2 emissions from the energy needed to power 2,462 homes for a year.

“Builders across the country are proving that propane can produce high-performance and energy-efficient homes while maintaining affordability,” said Bryan Cordill, director of residential business development at PERC. “Year after year, this program shows propane’s ability to reduce emissions and how it will continue to support the growing consumer demand for sustainable housing.”*

Propane Moves Toward Renewable Energy

In the future, you can expect to hear more about renewable propane, which keeps the same low emissions and high efficiency benefits as conventional propane but has a much lower carbon intensity. While not in wide use yet, renewable propane production is rapidly increasing.

Here’s a look at some of the common materials used in the production of renewable propane gas:

  • Used cooking oils, animal fats and grease can all be used for clean, renewable energy. These waste products from restaurants all contribute to the production of biofuel.
  • Municipal waste like paper, plastic and other products provides a valuable resource to produce renewable propane and other renewable fuels. This production chain diverts billions of pounds of waste from landfills every year. Plus, recent research has resulted in a process for recycling plastic waste on a molecular level. And its end-product is propane!
  • Dead trees and woody biomass represent wildfire hazards, but disposing of large forest waste products can be challenging. Agricultural waste like leaves and stalks have little purpose for farmers. The good news is that researchers have made fantastic strides in extracting compounds to generate renewable fuel from these feedstocks.
  • Soybean oil and inedible corn oil are classic biofuel feedstocks. Both significantly contribute to renewable propane production and support American farmers in the process, all without sacrificing the food supply.
  • Other agricultural resources with potential in the renewable propane production pipeline continue to be explored. One promising resource is camelina sativa, which grows in otherwise fallow land, doesn’t need much water, matures quickly and is resistant to pests. Growing camelina requires few resources and will not displace food crops — and it’s another effective feedstock.

As the renewable propane sector grows, more and more people will be able to use it to lower their carbon footprint even further.

Renewable propane gas will also offer propane providers in New York greater opportunities to be involved in projects that require energy sources to be zero-carbon or as close as possible when it comes to emissions.

New York Rebates for Propane Heating Equipment

If you’re interested in getting a new propane gas furnace, propane boiler or propane water heater for your home, get in touch with your New York propane service company. They’ll be glad to tell you about current New York rebates that will help you save money on new propane heating equipment.

When you install any propane-powered equipment, it’s essential that you bring in a licensed propane technician. Propane equipment is extremely safe when installed properly. But as with all energy sources, improper installation can be dangerous. Certified propane technicians have the training, experience, and tools to do the job quickly, correctly, and safely.

This is largely because of the Certified Employee Training Program (CETP), which is run under the direction of the Propane Education & Research Council. What’s more, you can only take advantage of available rebates if your installation is inspected for safety with a Gas Check®. Please speak to your propane company about this inspection.

*Source:

https://bpnews.com/news/perc-research-program-shows-propane-can-reduce-homes-co2-output-35