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BPN Staff

Compiled by BPN Staff

 

  • Safety

    Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Withdraws FMVSS Label Proposal

    The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) reports January 14, 2016 that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its withdrawal of a proposed regulation to require the display of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) certification labels on all commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The objective of the proposal was to clearly demonstrate the CMVs compliance with FMVSS at the time of production. The burden of compliance, however, would fall on motor carriers to identify and contact CMV manufacturers to obtain unaltered and unobstructed certification labels. The proposal did not address several issues raised by NPGA, including CMVs produced by currently out-of-business manufacturers. NPGA also argued that the drain on motor carriers' time and financial resources in order to obtain certification labels would not improve...

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  • Feature Articles

    New Propane Autogas School Buses Save Money and Reduce Harmful Emissions

    INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 14, 2016) — Indiana’s largest fleet of propane autogas school buses deploys 
in Warren Township this month. Eleven alternatively fueled school buses will roll out in January for the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township. The fleet represents the largest deployment of propane autogas school buses in the state of Indiana. The Blue Bird Propane Vision buses, purchased through dealer MacAllister Transportation, include ten 78-passenger models, and one bus outfitted with a wheelchair lift. “Better cold weather starts, lower maintenance and fuel cost, quieter buses, as well as better air quality for students, the bus driver and our community were the reasons we chose propane autogas,” said Steve Smith, director of transportation for M.S.D. Warren Township. “With the fuel’s clean operation, we anticipate...

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  • Feature Articles

    Liquid Propane (LPG) Autogas-Fueled Class 8 Cab Over Announced by Alkane Truck Co.

    Alkane Truck Company, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of alt-fueled trucks has completed its list of vehicle offerings with the announcement of the addition of a Liquid Propane Autogas (LPG) powered Class 8 Cab Over heavy duty tractor for the long haul trucking industry. As reported last fall in Butane-Propane News (BPN) , Alkane Truck Company obtained D.O.T. certification for its LPG Powered Class 7 Cab Over. The company will begin production of the Class 7 later this year. The Class 7 Cab Over is the first alternative fuel powered cab over to be introduced in this class. BPN also reported on the Alkane Dominator™, a heavy-duty Humvee-type vehicle that runs on clean-burning propane autogas. The Alkane Dominator™ is expected to complete certification and be...

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  • People

    Q&A With NPGA Women in Propane (WIP) Council

    BPN: The Women in Propane (WIP) Leadership Forum will offer expanded training opportunities at the 2016 National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Expo in Nashville. Can you describe the idea behind adding a full day of training to the 2016 WIP Leadership Forum agenda? WIP : Leadership develops when people are offered outstanding training and support. While men and women in the propane industry have opportunities to learn about technical and safety aspects as well as business operations through NPGA and PERC [Propane Education & Research Council] programs, specific leadership training brings a new dynamic to a person’s career, to a company’s success, and to the industry’s continued strength. The Women in Propane Council has learned there are ambitious people working toward advancement who are not...

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  • Feature Articles

    Recap of Major Benefits for Propane Industry With Passage of Omnibus/Tax Extenders Bill

    Congressional leaders reached a major agreement on federal spending and tax extenders and the bill was signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 18. The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), in a letter from association president and CEO Rick Roldan, said that the large Omnibus and Tax Extenders deal, including the extension of the 50-cent-per-gallon alternative fuels tax credit, is “a much-anticipated victory for the propane industry.” Roldan described the major policy provisions that he said “will help our industry grow and compete.” NPGA succeeded in getting four major tax provisions included in the agreement. “Extending several important expired tax provisions has been a priority for NPGA throughout 2015, and we are thrilled that this year-end deal includes extensions of the provisions that benefit...

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  • Feature Articles

    Temperature Compensation: What It Means to You

    By Richard Fredenburg . . . Our meter calibrators get complaints from propane dealers every summer about “losing” gas. Since nearly all dealers have temperature compensators (TCs) on their delivery meters, it seems to be a universal concern. However, there doesn’t seem to be a concern in the winter when the “losses” are reversed. Let’s look at the way temperature compensation works so you can understand what is happening. A TC is a device that monitors the temperature of propane going through the metering device. Its purpose is to deliver a constant heating value of fuel to a customer no matter its temperature. Since propane is less dense at higher temperatures, there is less heating value to a gallon of propane in the summer than...

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  • Feature Articles

    The Propane Industry’s Latest Display of Humanity

    “A world where everyone has a decent place to live” is the vision of international charity Habitat for Humanity, which builds affordable housing for people in need. The organization’s website also notes that “Whenever possible, we build sustainable, energy-efficient, and healthy housing.” Lani Laporte, executive director of Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, says the organization has built many 5-Star Energy Star Homes, and a good number of the rural-area homes that the chapter has built use propane as an energy source. The two-county affiliate recently needed to purchase a van for picking up items donated to its ReStore thrift store, and because propane has been such an important fuel in the area, Laporte and her team looked at...

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  • Feature Articles

    Residential Propane Well Positioned for Gains As Prices Drop

    While continuing development of the propane engine fuel markets is expected to provide significant growth opportunities, traditional markets will continue to face competition from electric technologies, expansion of the natural gas distribution system, and long-term energy efficiency trends. Those are among the observations included in the “2016 Propane Market Outlook” released in November, a report commissioned by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) for the industry and authored by Fairfax, Va.-based ICF International. The study undertakes to identify key market trends, opportunities, and threats facing the propane industry through 2025. Principal author Michael Sloan notes that the consumer propane market is in the midst of a period of very rapid change. Competition with electricity will continue to be a major challenge to growth in...

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  • Technology

    Tier 4 Regulations, New Technology Make Propane an Excellent Fuel Source For Irrigation Engines

    By Brooke Behrendt . . . Over the past decade, Tier 4 emissions regulations mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have had a significant impact on the agricultural and propane industries. These regulations require that emissions of particulate matter (PM) or oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from non-road diesel engines, such as irrigation engines, be reduced by 90%. To abide by these new requirements, agriculture producers and equipment manufacturers are taking steps to upgrade their irrigation engines. One way to improve emissions is to switch from engines fueled by diesel to those powered by propane. While diesel has long been the fuel of choice for many farmers, increasingly strict emissions regulations and new propane equipment technology are making propane-powered engines a more cost-effective, convenient, and...

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  • Feature Articles

    British government praises benefits of environmentally-friendly propane

    Autogas Limited has welcomed plans announced by the British Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the introduction of five “Clean Air Zones” in Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton. Designed to help improve air quality and bring the United Kingdom into line with EU nitrogen oxide targets, the proposals will not affect private car owners, but instead will target the most polluting vehicles such as old buses, taxis, coaches and trucks. As part of the announcement, the Government referenced the positive work that is already ongoing in Birmingham through the development of a repowered taxi fleet that will run on cleaner-burning propane autogas. “We’re extremely encouraged by these latest plans to help clean up air quality in the UK’s most affected towns...

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