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Feature Articles

In-depth feature stories examining the trends, challenges and innovations shaping the propane and LPG industry.

  • Ahead of Its Time, Chicago Transit Authority Purchased 500 Propane Buses in 1949

    The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) began to study the feasibility of using propane-fueled vehicles throughout Chicago’s bus system in late 1949. One bus was put into actual use in the transit system so CTA engineers could secure first-hand information on the advantages of propane. This provided ample opportunity to compare operating costs and performance records with other types of fuel for buses. The bus was loaned by the Twin Coach Company, Kent, Ohio for a three-month trial. At the end of the trial period, the CTA ordered 500 of the buses, one of the largest single orders (at that time) ever placed by any transit company. (SOURCE: Propane in America: The First 100 Years 1912-2012, available at BPNews.com)
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  • LPG Charity Fund Assists Families With Catastrophic Expenses

    (September 28, 2017) — For more than 20 years the LPG Charity Fund has assisted members of the LPG and gas processing industries when they faced catastrophic medical expenses and financial need, including assistance with temporary living and funeral expenses. The fund has dispersed about $1.4 million to help meet extraordinary expenses and more than $1.7 million has been raised to assist those in dire financial need. More than 55 individuals have been helped. The fund, staffed exclusively by volunteers, is reaching out to the propane industry, and others, to get the word out that its financial resources are available. David Herr, president of the board of trustees, outlines that the mission of the LPG Charity Fund since its founding has been to help LPG…
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  • Propane Shuttles Operate 24/7 At Philadelphia’s International Airport

    LESTER, PENN. (September 26, 2017) — Increased operating efficiency and decreased emissions have been two of the many benefits for an off-airport parking company operating buses fueled with propane autogas. Colonial Airport Parking runs around the clock, transporting travelers to and from Philadelphia International Airport. Since turning to propane, the thriving business has cut fuel costs by 32 percent and bus maintenance costs by 28.4 percent. Their current propane fleet will emit 730,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. “By choosing propane, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint, improved our operating efficiency, better served our customers and prevented local residents from breathing in a lot of unnecessary pollution,” said John Groden, operations manager for Colonial Airport Parking. After researching various types of conventional and…
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  • The Fight Against Subsidized Expansion of Natural Gas

    Jeff Petrash joined the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) in 2013 as vice president and general counsel following many years with the American Gas Association. At that time, NPGA had been looking for someone with a strong background in natural gas policy as the industry sought favorable parity with natural gas in public policy. Natural gas and propane are closely related and complementary in many ways; about 63% of U.S. propane comes from the natural gas stream. Propane is an ideal fuel for areas beyond the reach of natural gas lines because it is a portable fuel in its liquid form. But, there is also fierce competition between propane and natural gas in many areas as natural gas providers are always seeking to expand their…
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  • Senators Support Changes to EIA’s Propane Data Calculation

    Washington, DC (September 22, 2017) — The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) recently reported that five U.S. Senators wrote a pointed letter September 20, 2017 to Energy Secretary, Rick Perry, to urge the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to “incorporate propane export volumes in EIA’s calculation of remaining days of supply to ensure an accurate accounting of domestic propane stocks.” Furthermore, the Senators argue that this change “will increase transparency and provide certainty” for the energy sector. NPGA had previously directly urged EIA to incorporate propane exports into its calculations because it gives a truer understanding of the status of supply in the U.S. NPGA's inventory trends report does so, and consistently shows more realistic days of supply numbers than EIA's. NPGA strongly believes that…
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  • Jerry Brick Discusses Role as NPGA Chairman

    Early summer 2017, Jerry Brick, president of North Star Energy LLC (Aberdeen, S.D.), an independent propane marketer with three locations in northeast South Dakota, assumed the role of chairman of the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA). Brick, who is also president of Brick Transport Inc., a propane transporter in Aberdeen, has had a busy summer so far visiting propane conventions all over the United States. Amid stops in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina, and Ohio, Brick took a few minutes to share with BPN his thoughts on the direction of the industry and the national association. “Propane marketers need to be aggressive,” he said, “We need to truly become marketers again and sell our products, adapt, and grow our…
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  • CHP Generation Captures Heat — and Imagination

    From wastewater-treatment facilities to swimming pools, from factories to apartment buildings, combined heat and power (CHP) units have long provided American energy. But they have been underutilized, something proponents hope is changing. CHP is on-site electricity generation that captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted to provide useful thermal energy such as steam or hot water that can be used for space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and industrial processes. CHP can achieve efficiencies of more than 80%, compared to 50% for conventional technologies (i.e., grid-supplied electricity and an on-site boiler), says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to EPA, CHP has a long history, especially in the United States. Decentralized CHP systems located at industrial and municipal sites were the foundation of the…
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  • Exports to Exceed 50% of Propane Supply by 2019

    Most growth in U.S. propane supply will be exported. Domestic demand is expected to remain flat as production grows. Those observations, by ICF International and Enterprise Products Partners, respectively, lay out a disruptive roadmap for the nation’s propane retailers who must now compete to secure fuel for their customers in a world market and at prices increasingly influenced by global benchmarks. The U.S. is the world’s leading exporter of LPG as many developing countries transition to the more efficient and cleaner fuel. The World Health Organization reports that nearly three billion people cook and heat their homes using agricultural waste, firewood, charcoal, and animal dung, collectively known along with other fuels as biomass. The resulting indoor pollution is estimated to cause about four million premature…
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  • United Propane Autogas Solutions Group (UPAS), ICOM Team To Provide Cost-Effective Conversions to Propane Autogas

    NEW HUDSON, Mich. (Sept. 18, 2017) — ICOM North America (ICOM) received certification from the California Air Resource Board (CARB) on its patented liquid propane autogas fuel system for the Ford E450 V-10 engine. As a result, owners and operators of shuttle vehicles and buses in California that utilize the Ford E450 V-10 engine will be able to significantly reduce operating costs and dramatically improve their emissions profile by converting to liquid propane autogas using ICOM’s system. Moreover, in partnership with the United Propane Autogas Solutions Group (UPAS) and ICOM's network of service dealers throughout California, ICOM will provide fleets and customers with one-stop solutions to reduce the complexity and costs associated with converting and maintaining propane autogas fleets, including: • Installing of the ICOM…
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  • Jenna Bush Hager and Propane Council Team Up For Back-to-School Campaign

    WASHINGTON (September 14, 2017) – This school year nearly 790,000 students will be riding school buses powered by propane rather than gasoline or diesel fuel. It’s a trend that continues to sweep the nation. “Propane school buses present so many advantages for students, school districts and their communities,” said Tucker Perkins, Propane Education & Research Council president and CEO. “These buses are quieter and offer reduced emissions compared to old diesel buses, making them a better option for students, drivers and the community. They cost less to operate, too, so schools can put more money back into the classroom where it can impact students most.” The trend of propane school buses is growing fast. This fall, 750 school districts in 47 states are operating more…
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  • Discover Free Charter of Benefits Toolkit From World LPG Association

    After months of research, focus groups, and strategizing sessions about how to increase the propane industry’s ability to speak with one unified voice and strengthen its position globally, the World LPG Association (WLPGA) has completed a three-year strategic plan. Headed by the WLPGA secretariat, in collaboration with the association’s Strategic Review Committee, and led by WLPGA’s marketing and communications director Alison Abbott, the strategic review identifies the association’s mission, goals, and objectives, and puts in motion strategies and tactics that will guide the work of WLPGA over the next three years. The plan will be updated when appropriate to ensure continuing clarity, relevance, and feasibility. The theme of the WLPGA 2017-2019 Strategic Review is “Growing Influence, Increasing Impact,” which illustrates the association’s principal strategic objective — to…
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  • Ferrellgas Partners Acquires Virginia’s Service Plus Propane

    Ferrellgas Partners LP (Overland Park, Kan.) reported Sept. 5, 2017, it had acquired Service Plus Propane Inc., an independent propane retailer based in South Hill, Va. Details regarding the transaction were not released. The purchase is expected to be immediately accretive and allows Ferrellgas to strategically grow its footprint in the eastern region of the country. Founded in 2005, Service Plus is a local provider serving agricultural, residential, industrial, and commercial customers in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in southern Virginia. “Service Plus is a well-run business focused on local service and support,” said Ferrellgas president and interim CEO Jim Ferrell. “As we welcome new and existing customers to the Ferrellgas family, emphasis on personal relationships and exceptional service will remain a priority. We plan to…
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