How Does Propane Affect the Environment?

Propane and a Zero-Carbon-Emissions Future

More people in Tennessee—and around the country—have made propane their fuel of choice because it is clean, efficient, economical, and versatile. This American-made energy source can be used to power a wide range of appliances inside and outside your Tennessee home—safely and efficiently. And there’s plenty of propane to go around!

When it comes to the environment, propane is a clean-burning fuel that was recognized as an alternative fuel in both the Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy. In the rare event of a leak, propane has no detrimental impact on the air, soil, water, aquatic life, marine life, or plant life.

Today’s propane appliances have high efficiency ratings. That efficiency, along with propane’s clean-burning properties, allows you to reduce your home’s carbon footprint without having to sacrifice either comfort or convenience. The high-performance propane appliances of today include everything from water heaters, clothes dryers, professional-quality propane gas ranges, dependable standby propane generators, propane gas fireplaces, and a variety of outdoor living propane products.

Moving Forward with Renewable Propane

Have you heard about renewable propane? This is the propane of the future. While it is not in common use yet and any current supply is limited, renewable propane gas eventually will be a major part of the clean energy conversation.
Renewable propane is molecularly identical to conventional propane. But it is made with renewable resources. There will be no need to replace or alter existing propane appliances and equipment when using renewable propane.

How Is Renewable Propane Made?

Here’s a closer look at some of the common feedstocks 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.

Renewable propane can also be blended with propane and used in existing propane-powered equipment and vehicles, as well as cars that run on propane autogas. This will reduce air pollution and particulate matter substantially. Cleaner burning renewable propane can also help engines and equipment to run more effectively, resulting in longer life with less upkeep and fewer repairs. Businesses may also qualify for tax credits.
As the renewable propane sector grows, more people will be able to use it to lower their carbon footprint even further.

Renewable propane gas will also offer propane providers 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.

Bottom line: the future is bright for propane!