As the world of energy and commerce is ever-changing, so is the way we find channels for energy production. While the world and society we know and love today are changing, Propane is evolving to become the industry standard in changing the way sustainable sources of energy aid society and the way it can help the environment for years to come. In contrast, other alternatives will solve short-term solutions but won't make long-term effects is an everchanging issue that continues to evolve as times and trends move forward.
Energy is the lifeblood of the American economy; without Energy we wouldn't have the amenities and technological infrastructure that we have today, to combat the ever-changing environmental problems. As a result, energy leaders are looking towards cleaner-burning solutions such as natural gas and Propane, which are abundant in supply which allow for more variety of use. In addition, alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and battery-electric are secondary energy sources derived from a primary energy source and are necessary to power most of everything we use today.
In previous articles, we covered how Propane plays a pivotal role in energy and transportation for society. From how Propane Is Evolving In Automobiles and Why the Future of Energy Is Propane. Propane is becoming the difference maker that the energy sectors need to make the actual difference as society moves towards carbon neutrality.
This article will cover how and why Propane is aiding in the environment to help society understand that alternative energy can be of various types and not just the mainstream notions of electrification, solar, and wind.
How Propane Is Aiding The Environment
Today's world is moving towards helping the environment differently, but this is especially prevalent in the energy sector. Every day, industry leaders seek and research new ways of alternative energy to aid in moving towards a more sustainable and cleaner environment for all. While most alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and electrification are great for the short-term success of energy, in the long term, there will be limitations on how other alternatives will be able to keep up with energy demands.
When you think of Propane, one of the biggest things that come to mind is two variables. First, Propane is one of the cleanest and most valuable primary sources of energy due to its low output of emissions and the efficiency of how it burns while in use. Unlike its battery-electric power-producing counterparts, Propane is ultimately refined further than its Natural Gas counterpart. When Propane is refined, it is taken to another level of refinement because of the extensive process it has to go through when it is being derived from natural gas. Through this process, Propane is produced from the liquid components that are captured during the natural gas production process. Each of these components includes Methane, Propane, and Butane. These other gases besides Propane are produced during the production and process, which aid the further refinement to make Propane so environmentally friendly.
Furthermore, Propane has become a renewable resource in the end that Propane is produced from biomass-based feedstock such as used cooking oil, animal fats, and 20% dimethyl ether. Although the number of producers is a small spectrum compared to other renewable resources, renewable Propane is now currently produced in many biodiesel refiners and production facilities.
Reducing Carbon Emissions
Today's status quo is getting the energy and transportation sector to produce as few carbon emissions as possible. Energy production is a significant factor in everything society does daily in today's world. There are misconceptions that Propane is a dirty pollutant because it is a fossil fuel. Yes, it is a fossil fuel, but not being a clean energy source is very far from the truth. If you were to look at all energy variations, there isn't any perfect energy source out there. Looking at alternative energy in solar, wind, and hydroelectric, they all have some sort of adverse environmental effect.
On the other hand, Propane is one of the cleanest forms of energy because of the minimal carbon emissions it produces versus other energy options. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that when compared to other fuels, Propane emits the lowest amounts of British Thermal Units (BTU).
See below for a complete fuel comparison:
Image Credit: U.S. Energy Infomation Administration
You might be surprised by how much cleaner tailpipe emissions are from propane-powered engines than others. In a real-world study conducted by West Virginia University, propane autogas school buses reduce smog-producing emissions by cutting 96 percent more nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions than clean diesel buses.
Propane autogas passenger vehicles can emit up to 36% fewer NOx emissions than diesel vehicles. In addition, propane autogas passenger cars can emit 70% fewer sulfur oxide emissions and up to 45% less particulate matter than electric vehicles passenger cars throughout the complete fuel cycle.
Why Propane Is Changing The Status Quo
With the energy production sector continually evolving, Propane is becoming more prevalent with each day that passes. At the same time, variations of alternative energy depend on wind, solar, and hydro variables to produce power. Propane is a primary energy source, so it doesn't need to rely on a secondary source to power it because its fuel source is natural sources. For example, you might wonder if an electric grid is better than the use of Propane? If you were to look at an electric grid of a city or town, it would be more than 60 percent of the energy used for electricity generation than Propane in lost conversion.
On the other hand, nearly 25% of electrical grid production comes from coal. Propane is the neutralizer between this because virtually almost no energy is lost as it travels from the Propane tank to the application it is being used for. Propane has its advantage in two categories: the ample supply and the effects on the environment versus other forms of primary energy such as coal. For example, when you use a mainstream alternative energy source in electrification or solar, you receive a secondary source that relies on something to power whatever needs energy, and generally, these primary sources of power are not clean burning.
There are many reasons why Propane is changing how individuals are changing the way they think towards energy and evolving the perspective of primary and alternative energy as it is not a dirty fuel that comes from fossil fuel. When you look back to the 1990s, Congress declared that Propane was approved as a clean alternative fuel due to its low emission properties and variables.