Written on: August 28, 2024
In July, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) put out a general request for information about the production, technologies and uses of renewable propane gas and other renewable gases. The idea behind this request was to determine rPG’s viability in playing a role in sustainable aviation fuel production and other “other high-impact products.”
The DOE appears to see the potential for rPG to lower carbon emissions in the U.S. This is especially true when this fuel is sourced from municipal waste, forest resources, agricultural residue, fats, oils, and greases (which were the focuses of the information request).
This information follows hard upon other acknowledgments by the government that low-carbon bioenergy has a vital place in the question of how we address the challenges of climate change. In May of this year, the DOE included renewable propane as a clean energy source in its final rule on “Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings.”
Recently, BETO’s “2023 Billion Ton” report found that sufficient biogenic resources exist in the U.S. to achieve our government’s carbon reduction goals. We are hopeful that these overtures from the DOE indicate a growing acceptance that rPG, along with conventional propane and other innovative blends, are crucial to a sustainably green future.
The U.S. government has set the incredibly ambitious goal of reducing our country’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030.
This objective requires an “all of the above” strategy that embraces every carbon reduction option on the table. Wholesale electrification of homes, businesses and vehicles will put a tremendous strain on our already-overburdened electric grid. The efficacy of electrifying everything is also suspect since so much of the nation’s grid-based electricity still comes from coal and natural gas.
Bioenergy offers immediate and substantial carbon reduction. Renewable propane made from domestic, non-rendered, used cooking oil has a carbon intensity score that’s about one-quarter that of conventional propane and only about 16% the score of the average U.S. grid electricity.
Propane has more environmental benefits than just its low carbon output. It’s also 100% methane-free and emits virtually no particulate matter in combustion. Using propane to fuel autogas vehicles greatly lowers their carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Renewable propane retains all these advantages, and it can be used in existing propane equipment without modification. And that is good news because homeowners and businesses like their propane products.
Whether we’re talking about propane furnaces with fuel efficiency ratings approaching 100%, tankless water heaters delivering endless hot water with minimal fuel consumption, Energy Star-rated commercial kitchen appliances or other equipment, propane products deliver efficiency and high performance.
It’s little surprise, then, that parts of the country might be reconsidering electrification mandates that would exclude this equipment. New York’s governor is openly considering a relaxation of the state’s aggressive climate law, citing heavy costs it will likely place on Empire State families. In Sonoma County, CA, officials announced this month that they were suspending enforcement of an ordinance that would have banned efficient propane products from new construction.
When you pair high-efficiency gas-powered products with the ultra-low carbon impact of renewable propane, you can see the big possibilities for rPG to play a major role in lowering U.S. emissions. In recent months, we’ve seen rPG powering public services vehicles in Raleigh, home heating equipment in Buxton and even the Olympic torch!
In short, the profile of this innovative renewable fuel is growing substantially — no wonder the DOE is increasingly showing interest in it.
If you’re interested in getting more information about the supply chain for renewable propane and other renewable liquid gases, consider joining the Renewable Propane Alliance.