Episode 556

556: Is 'Renewable' Propane Really Clean Energy or Just Hype?

Published on: 27th December, 2022

I’m no fan of the hype train and misdirection foisted upon us by much of the traditional fossil fuel industry. So, when I met Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), I was happy to “entertain” a phone call to hear why he believes renewable propane can be dubbed a clean and sustainable energy source. Truthfully, I had zero intention of ever having him on the show. But after a delightful 30 minute jousting match over zoom, I was convinced that there was more to his narrative than meets the eye, and that it’d make a fun and entertaining (at the very least) episode for the SunCast faithful. And, I actually learned quite alot!

As Tucker explains, renewable propane — sometimes called biopropane, bioLPG, eco-propane and rLPG — is a drop-in replacement for traditional propane produced from petroleum refining. Rather than oil or natural gas, the sources of renewable propane include biomass, biogas, municipal solid waste and even corn or sugarcane. 

In today's eye-opening Tactical Tuesday, Tucker shares his vision of the potential of renewable propane and Nico challenges him on its role in the future of green energy. Tucker believes "safe, reliable and economical" renewable propane is part of the solution for an energy-efficient future. 

Will you agree? Or do you believe it’s just part of the massive greenwashing happening right now across the fossil fuel industry to convince consumers that “it’s not that bad” and “there are ‘clean-er’ options to how we’ve been doing this.”? 

PERC, operated and funded by the propane industry, views renewable propane as a viable energy source for powering homes, businesses, and vehicles due to its high energy density, clean burning characteristics, and cost-effectiveness. 

This episode takes me out of my comfort zone, as I reach across the aisle to explore renewable propane as an alternative to synthetic or fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, or gasoline. 

One key question I come away with “Is renewable propane, as it's generally called in the United States, the best term for this fuel?”

Tucker and I discuss this in depth and I admire Tucker’s willingness to engage. Please tune in to learn more about an alternative fuel that can potentially help us power our world, sustain our quality of life, and promote the justice and equity we seek.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.

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About the Podcast

SunCast
Your resource for developing a clean energy or climate tech career
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy.

SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.

SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Featuring over 600 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.

You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia

...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes