Page 9 - may-jun 2023

safety & education

Natural Gas, Propane Make

“Net Zero” Possible

Letter from Tucker Perkins,
President and CEO of the
Propane Education
& Research Council

I Propane-powered charging stations pro-
keep hearing the question, “Is there a
place for gas in a net-zero future?” The
vide off-grid juice for electric vehicles Mi-
short answer is yes, but it’s more than
crogrids combine propane and solar tech-
that The forward march of innovation
suggests we are asking the wrong question nology to ensure uninterrupted power for
hospitals, shelters and entire communities
Everywhere we look, the energy Today’s U S electric grid struggles to
transformation is underway Here in Virginia, meet growing energy demands, while coal
Roanoke Gas is poised to produce renew- and natural gas account for more than 60%
able natural gas by capturing biogas from of generation both in Virginia and nation-
a wastewater treatment facility That proj- wide The problem compounds as more
ect has the potential to increase local fuel aspects of life are electrified and wind and
supply, reduce greenhouse emissions and solar are expected to generate an increas-
lower rates, according to the State Corpo- ing proportion of the energy
ration Commission A variety of clean energy sources
Another innovation, and my favorite, working together – a wide path – is the only
is renewable propane Made from biomass way forward If we let innovators innovate
and cooking waste products, it is a promis- regardless of which energy “hat” they wear,
ing ultra-low to zero-carbon fuel – the next we can get where we need to be
generation of propane, already a low-car- Now let’s go back to the original
bon fuel question and put it a different way: without
The propane industry is investing mil- gas, is a net-zero future even possible?■
lions of dollars in a variety of technologies
that reduce carbon emissions in areas such
as power generation, ever-cleaner engines
and renewable fuel production and testing
Propane applications also support
popular players on the clean energy stage

9 Alabama Propane Gas Association | May / June 2023