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Feature Articles

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

  • Take Action! Help Preserve Propane For Residential & Commercial Uses

    (October 9, 2020) – The California Energy Commission (CEC) is working on the next statewide energy code, which will go into effect on January 1, 2023. The regulation would impact building codes for a variety of construction types including low-rise residential buildings (four stories or less), high-rise multifamily buildings, office buildings, retail buildings, wholesale buildings, warehouses, and educational facilities. Many groups in the state are advocating for these types of new construction to be only all-electric only. Propane and natural gas would be eliminated as a fuel option for Californians if these proposals are approved.The CEC is taking comments through their portal until October 20, 2020. Please take action TODAY to protect clean, near-zero emission propane. HERE IS WHAT CAN YOU DO! FIRST: Share the…
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  • One Message, Two Organizations, Effective Outreach

    By Steve Kaminski… I have been fortunate enough to lead the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) for almost a year now. I’ve learned a lot since October, both from the NPGA membership and our propane industry partners. When I joined NPGA, I was new to propane. But I was not new to Washington. And I knew one thing in Washington is true. You always need friends. NPGA is fortunate to have a strong friend and partner in the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). PERC is currently led by Tucker Perkins, president and CEO. NPGA’s efforts to advocate and PERC’s efforts to educate have combined to effectively define, to a broad audience, propane’s role in the low-carbon future. NPGA and PERC both employ data-based messaging…
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  • FMCSA Emergency Hours Declaration — Hurricane Delta

    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published an Emergency Declaration for motor carriers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in response to Hurricane Delta. The waiver is in effect through November 6, 2020. Download the Emergency Declaration Guidance on emergency declarations and waivers by the National Association of State Energy Officials is available here . Please direct any questions to or share new information with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , NPGA Deputy Counsel, Regulatory Affairs.
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  • Propane Tank Vendors Highlight Dependability, Innovation, Service

    Full service from a one-stop shop, personalized service from regional sales staff, swift delivery from an expanded fleet, tank monitoring integrated into tanks or lids, and tanks in sizes needed to provide additional storage for both marketers and their customers. Those are some of the products and services rolled out or expanded in recent months by five companies that manufacture and/or refurbish propane tanks. These would have been highlighted at trade shows this past spring and summer, had those events not been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of trade shows, live displays, and in-person discussions, BPN checked in with these five vendors to learn what’s new and what’s trending in the marketplace for propane tanks. In their answers, they highlighted service,…
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  • The World Is At Your Fingertips As Never Before”—e-LPG Week, Nov. 2-6

    When staff at the World LPG Association (WLPGA; Paris) saw that this year’s LPG Week would have to be virtual, they decided they wouldn’t try to just replicate the physical event, they’d work to make something better. LPG Week is the annual global event centered on the World LPG Forum. Last year’s edition, which was held in Amsterdam, drew more than 2000 participants from 108 countries. This year’s was to have been held in Dubai. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the physical event was postponed to next year and a virtual event was developed for this year. The first e-LPG Week is to be held Nov. 2-6. e-LPG Week will have the same global perspective as the earlier, physical events, but will be easier…
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  • Propane Supply, Demand Affected By Factors Of Changing World

    Acknowledging the supply concerns of many of its members, the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) kicked off a series of webinars to educate marketers on the current supply situation as well as steps they can take to prepare for winter 2020-2021. The first webinar, July 21, was titled “Preparing for Peak Demand: Update on Upstream Propane Production and Downstream Logistics.” It was headlined by energy industry veteran Rusty Braziel, founder and CEO of RBN Energy (Houston), and was joined by NPGA staff and other industry members. Braziel has been involved in the energy business for more than three decades. He has been a programmer, analyst, planner, and energy trader. He was with Texaco (now Chevron) for 20 years in jobs that included manager of NGL…
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  • Propane Truck Innovations And Sales Keep On Rolling

    (September 22, 2020) — Unlike a lot of businesses in the U.S. struggling because of COVID-19, 15 propane truck suppliers BPN spoke with have done relatively well in the past few weeks and months. Sure, there have been setbacks and challenges: “Ford was out for six weeks and that slowed us down some. It put us behind the eight ball but we’re working fast to finish things in time for winter,” said John Hawkins, CEO of H&H Sales (Huntertown, Ind.). “We are having a steady year producing vehicles in a timely fashion, meeting customer deadlines,” said Mike VanDenBoom, president of Signature Truck Systems (Clio, Mich.). “Our U.S.-based supply chain has helped keep lead time of parts within reason. We implemented changes in our work environment…
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  • PERC Resource Highlights Maintenance Advantages of Propane Autogas

    WASHINGTON (September 21, 2020) – To highlight the ease of propane autogas vehicle maintenance, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) released a new online resource for fleet owners interested in lowering their maintenance costs and downtime. “Propane autogas provides fleets with the lowest total cost-of-ownership, and a big reason for that is because of its low maintenance and infrastructure costs, including those for garage and maintenance facilities,” said Steve Whaley, director of autogas business development at PERC. “Our newest resource showcases how fleets can transform their maintenance for the better with propane autogas.” The free guide, available on Propane.com, outlines the main benefits of propane autogas vehicle maintenance, including its cost benefits, reduced downtime, and simplified winter maintenance. It also highlights the ease of…
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  • Tank Monitoring Solutions: Monitors, Portals, Apps

    Tank monitoring solutions include not only the monitors, but also portals and apps that distribute the data to propane marketers and their customers, and vendor support that helps marketers make the most of these tools. In the end, a complete tank monitoring solution should assist marketers in making large, efficient deliveries while also preventing runouts. Remote tank monitoring (RTM) is being more widely deployed in many industries. Internet of Things (IoT) analyst firm Berg Insights reports that the global installed base of active RTM solutions is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 36.3%. (This includes not only propane tank monitors, but others as well.) In the propane industry, tank monitoring is growing because propane marketers need to maximize the efficiency of their deliveries,…
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  • New Tools Help Marketers Plan For Increased Ag Propane Demand

    (September 14, 2020) — As winter approaches and supply appears to be tightening, retail marketers have been concerned about the level of propane demand for grain drying. Recently BPN caught up with Michael Newland, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), for a discussion of crop drying prospects and an update on other PERC agriculture initiatives. “This appears to be setting up to be a normal dryer season,” Newland said. “From Indiana back to the Dakotas, the corn belt is at average corn moisture. Earlier planting and average to dryer-than-average moisture indicates this will not be a high demand dryer season for propane.” The only caveat as we spoke was fallout from the devastating derecho with 100 mph winds…
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  • The State Of Energy Propane Podcast Gains In Popularity

    Last fall, Tom Clark attended NPGA and PERC meetings and heard talk of the need to educate consumers and mobilize them to oppose the war on fossil fuels. Returning home, the executive director of the Rocky Mountain Propane Association (RMPA) reached out to a media organization he’d worked with and discussed how they could talk to consumers about energy choices. The advertising and media-placement agency, Advoke Media, suggested an infomercial-style radio show. “I was surprised; I thought radio was old school,” Clark tells BPN. But he learned that in rural areas of the four states RMPA represents (Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming), a lot of people listen to radio. “This is something no one had done before—an infomercial about propane—so I thought it would be…
    Read More →: The State Of Energy Propane Podcast Gains In Popularity

  • NPGA Offers Propane Supply Advice As Winter 2020-21 Approaches

    The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) released a statement on June 2 from its Propane Supply and Logistics Committee and Suppliers Section regarding supply concerns many retailer marketers were having: “Over the last few months, many of you reported to NPGA that you were experiencing challenges in securing supply for the upcoming harvest and winter. NPGA’s Propane Supply and Logistics Committee and NPGA staff investigated these concerns and determined that for the first time in recent memory, it has become a ‘seller’s market’ for propane, notwithstanding the dramatic increase in propane production over the last decade.” The association listed these factors for the current situation: Relatively low crude oil and natural gas prices; Declining rig counts for both oil and gas; The Saudi Arabia-Russian dispute…
    Read More →: NPGA Offers Propane Supply Advice As Winter 2020-21 Approaches

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