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PERC Approves Multiple Initiatives & Programs at First Quarter 2021 Meeting
Propane Education & Research Council Approves Multiple Initiatives & Programs at First Quarter 2021 Meeting
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) met on February 10, 2021 to take up many national programs and projects.
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Here are some of the programs and projects that we thought may interest our propane industry readers:
SAFETY & TRAINING
Docket 22819: 2021 Learning Management System will help continue PERC’s Online Learning Center. The center includes many FREE online safety and training including technical courses to continue to develop a professional, informed, and skilled workforce and trade allies. Courses include: Hazmat, OSHA, CSR Safety, and other job specific online courses from bobtail to transport to service.
RESERARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Docket 22640: Development and UL Certification of a Propane-Fired Burner for a 4 kWe Stirling Generator
provides funding for a Sencera proposal to modify for propane usage a prototype Stirling-based 4 kWe electric generator that is presently designed for natural gas. The device will need an updated burner and software. The modified unit will be submitted for UL certification and emissions testing with the intent of meeting or exceeding the CARB DG requirements. Successful UL certification of the 4 kWe generator system will lead to a competitively priced micro-CHP system suitable for the U.S. HVAC market.
Docket 22788: Stirling Battery Ecosystem (SBE9000) Using Propane will provide fund for the last three years, Qnergy has deployed hundreds of its low maintenance remote-power systems in oil & gas, telecom, signaling stations, and various battery charging applications.
Based on the lessons learned from this activity, Qnergy is now developing a new power generator called PG8000. The new generator will aim at three large underserved markets: (1) Remote EV charging for light weight vehicles, either direct or as a backup to a solar + battery system; (2) Powering remote Telecom towers through battery charging; (3) Backuppower for high-end residential and small commercial buildings.
The new generator will have the same reliability and environmental performance as Qnergy’s marketed PG5650 (see brochure) and will be optimized for the above applications that rely on propane.
The new generator aims to be lower cost (end user price $20,000 or less), higher power (8-10kW), and best-in class electric and electric + heat efficiency.
The scope of work includes: R & D, prototyping, small quantity manufacturing, beta testing, and initial deployment and commercialization.
Docket 22803: Techno-economic, feasibility, & life-cycle analysis of re-
newable propane will carry out a technical, economic, and sustainability analysis for renewable propane production pathways that PERC has identified. The project will encompass two levels of detail: • A deep dive into current and emerging sources of renewable propane (RP) from the renewable diesel (RD) and HEFA-jet manufacturing industries. Included will be technical and economic prospects for changing operating conditions in existing and planned RD production plants to optimize for production of a mix of RD and RP. The analysis will include a detailed determination of feedstock demand and supply-chain issues, emphasizing potential feedstock shortages due to planned refinery re-configurations where fossil crude is being phased out in favor of renewable feedstocks. The sustainability (life-cycle assessment) of these options will be quantitatively explored along with overall economics. • A high-level overview of emerging (near-term) technologies for renewable propane production will be carried out. This analysis will largely focus on technology readiness and feedstock supply issues and will identify other potential nearterm renewable propane sources. Detailed economic and LCA for these pathways will not be carried out.
Among the solutions being considered by the propane industry to meet mandates for renewable content is the blending of propane made from bio-based and/or renewable feedstocks, which will simultaneously offset the use of fossil petroleum and positively impact both GHG emissions and carbon intensity.
Propane produced from renewable feedstocks such as biomass or waste materials (waste cooking oil, animal fats, waste grease, etc.) is available in the USA but in limited supplies. Accordingly, these mandates place the propane industry at a
significant disadvantage due to the lack of a renewable substitute for fossil propane. Processes for producing renewable propane that is technologically feasible may well prove to be economically infeasible. In this proposed project, PERC will focus on pathways currently in commercial practice such that technical feasibility is proven and where data are available to estimate the path’s economic feasibility. It is important to note that renewable propane will be economically advantaged by subsidies that will be included in the economic analysis carried out in this project.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Docket 22786: 2021 Integrated Marketing & Communications, one of PERC’s most comprehensive programs, will encompass 2021 programing for all markets, environmental thought leadership, corporate communications, and digital development and reporting.
The objective of 2021 messaging will prove that “Propane Can Do That” by providing “Truth in Energy” and educating audiences that propane is the right choice for them to power homes, businesses, farms, and fleets.
“Truth in Energy” provides the Environmental Thought Leadership messaging with both hard-hitting, anti-electrification messaging to expose the dirty secrets of electricity and language that boldly asserts propane’s environmental benefits. It also provides the pro-energy choice proof points when demonstrating propane’s ability to work alongside renewables.
The statement “Truth in Energy” provides the reason to believe that propane is the right energy choice for every application in every market that PERC is targeting with our messaging by calling out our competitive advantage in that application. It can be assertively linked to the environmental “truth” to those audiences whose environmental impact is of great concern and related to various attributes that other audiences find more compelling. PERC is simply speaking the truth.
In addition to supporting the markets and thought leadership with compelling messaging, the docket will fund improvements www.propane.com and develop content for website that engages industry, media, residential consumers, builders, and all markets of propane.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The PERC identifies the priority markets for engagement to grow users and uses. The markets include the existing sectors of agriculture, autogas, commercial, material handling, residential, plus research and development partners; as well as identifies new targets.
Docket 22791: Agriculture Market
Business Development will help the propane industry engage three primary audiences to grow market share: • Sales Channel Partners (original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors, and dealers). • Stakeholders, including regulators, researchers, educational organizations, and consultants. • Propane agricultural consumers.
Docket 22789: Residential Market
Business Development will support activities in the residential market engaging with decision-makers, developers, architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and distributors. Activities will continue to drive adoption of current technologies as well as working with partners to develop new technologies and opportunities to increase residential users and uses.
PERC will develop “scientific” messaging/briefing packets to support our manufacturing and building partners to value propane market share and use in their products and developments.
Emphasis will continue to be placed on the manufactured housing market through sales channel relationships and marketing to manufacturers and sales centers.
PERC will pilot a program to have propane-fueled model homes on display at sales centers. PERC will focus on regions that have lost the most market share to all-electric homes and that have marketers who are willing to support the program.
Docket 22792: Commercial Market
Business Development will support activities much like the residential market docket, but for the commercial building arena. PERC will also engage with commercial building decision-makers, developers, architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and distributors. The docket will drive adoption of current technologies also develop opportunities for new partners, new products, and new markets.
PERC will develop “scientific” messaging/briefing packets to support our manufacturing and building partners to value propane market share and use in their products and developments. Increased focus on reaching specifying engineers through continuing education training will be a shift from previous years.
Docket 22801: Material Handling Market Business Development will be for business development activities for the material handling forklift market. Busi-
ness development activities would include building relationships with future and current project partners, sponsorships, memberships, data purchases, consultants, and expenses to various tradeshows. This program results in continued engagement across the market, support for improved propane technologies, and sustained engagement with stakeholders and partners, which results in growth via improved products, strong partnerships, new products, and new market opportunities.
Docket 22802: Off-Road Mar-
ket Business Development will be for business development activities for the off-road markets including building relationships with future and current project partners, sponsorships, memberships, data purchases, consultants, and expenses to various tradeshows.
This program results in continued engagement across the market, support for new uses and users for propane technologies, and sustained engagement with stakeholders and partners, which results in growth via improved products, strong partnerships, new products, and new market opportunities.
Docket 22796: Autogas Market
Business Development will support market engagement, which is critical to autogas business development. PERC staff, along with the help of professional services, work together to develop current autogas markets, identify and engage with new vehicle market opportunities, connect with stakeholders, nurture established relationships with OEM vehicle technology providers, as well as cultivate new partnerships with technology providers in the over-the-road markets. • This docket supports business development activities with local, regional, and national tradeshows and conferences, sponsorships of events, securing speaking opportunities with influential venues, memberships in key associations and coalitions, data acquisition needed for the on-road market, and personal engagement with OEMs providing technology solutions for autogas growth.
OTHER PROJECTS
Docket 22784: 2021 Market Re-
search & Data Analytics will be for the digitalization of PERC’s core efforts in marketing, communications, and training, which has allowed for the organization to be more responsive to changing needs, and as a consequence (and benefit) has generated a significant amount of rich data that we have yet to fully leverage. The 2021 Market Research & Data Analytics initiative will support an organization-wide effort to establish processes, build capacity, and align existing resources and efforts to better leverage data as a strategic asset and enable the PERC to be the trusted source for information and insights for the propane industry.
PERC President & CEO, Tucker Perkins reported on president approvals including a one new presidential grant, Docket 22897 Residential Cooking Pollutants, and Indoor Air Quality, for PERC to join a program to test gas and electric ranges so that our industry can better address consumer concerns about indoor air quality and develop better propane technology for the commercial and residential markets.
