On the Road With Propane

It’s safe, it’s green, it’s reliable, it’s clean. These are the virtues of propane, one of the most versatile heating fuels in the country, and much, much more. How clean is it? It’s an approved, clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992, and is one of the cleanest burning fuels on the market today. It’s also nontoxic and produces minimal emissions.

Propane is used for home and water heating, cooking and refrigeration, clothes drying, and powering farm and industrial equipment across the country. Rural areas routinely rely on propane as a residential energy source. Propane has a remarkable safety record, thanks to stringent codes and regulations developed by the propane industry and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). It’s not harmful to soil or water, and it won’t ignite in its liquid form. It’s easy to see why propane is the fuel of choice for thousands of homes and businesses in New England.

But did you know that propane is also the most widely used alternative transportation fuel in the United States and throughout the world? And this is not a recent phenomenon; clean-burning propane has been fueling automobiles since 1913. While alternative fuels as a group are thought of as “new” energy, propane has been used in cars and trucks for almost as long as gasoline. Interest in propane as an alternative transportation fuel stems from its domestic availability, high-energy density, clean-burning qualities, and relatively low cost.

Propane engine exhaust is so clean and friendly to the environment that propane-powered forklifts operate inside warehouses throughout the world. For this same reason, propane is commonly used to fuel school buses to minimize children’s exposure to harmful diesel emissions. Additionally, many propane-fueled vehicles are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as meeting the Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle standard.

Look for our winter newsletter which further discusses the uses, benefits, and environmental advantages of clean propane.