Propane: An immediate solution to the global challenge of climate change

The global community will come together in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12, 2021, for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) negotiations. These crucial meetings, co-hosted by Italy and the United Kingdom, provide a critical opportunity to collectively address the challenges of climate change. The propane (LPG) industry stands ready to do its part.

To this purpose, the national, regional, and global propane industry is committed to ensuring that the off-grid communities, businesses, industries, and transportation solutions that they support with lower carbon, clean, and alternative energy source are not left behind in the implementation of the original Paris Agreement. Moreover, the propane industry is determined that air quality and related health impacts of energy choices are accounted for in local energy and climate plans as well as in government economic recovery strategies to ensure that these are truly sustainable for both planet and people.

Today, propane is an essential source of low-carbon energy for billions of people around the world. Served by an agile and resilient supply chain, it is able to effectively contribute towards achieving low carbon targets while ensuring that no one is left behind in the global energy transition. A cleaner energy choice than oil, diesel, gasoline, and in some cases electricity, propane is a vital part of the global energy portfolio as countries transition to low-carbon economies – it is an Energy Choice For All.

In Canada, the propane industry is uniquely positioned to help Canadians meet their energy needs while also helping achieve the shared goal of a greener future. For example, the propane industry can deliver clean energy to Indigenous communities where many continue to rely on diesel for heating and power generation. Contamination from diesel and oil spills in these areas leads to remediation costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Working in partnership with government and Indigenous communities, the propane industry can affect real, immediate change in reducing GHG emissions, providing for healthier and more prosperous communities.

The use of propane in Canada’s agriculture sector is increasing. Whether it’s used for heating, in irrigation engines, grain dryers, standby generators, pickup trucks, or a variety of other applications, including water heaters and space heating for farm buildings and greenhouses, propane can efficiently power a wide variety of farm equipment, with no infrastructure required.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, auto propane (autogas) has the largest refueling infrastructure of any alternative fuel in Canada with approximately 96,000 vehicles on the road today. There is an upward trend in schools switching to propane buses across the country. The reason for the growth is clear: propane buses are significantly healthier for young people, their communities, and the environment. They are cleaner, quieter, affordable, and they are made for Canadian winters, starting in -50 degrees Celsius weather.

Canada continues to be the leading choice for dozens of countries around the world to supply their oil and natural gas needs, with close to 50% of Canadian propane exported. New projects are being completed to allow propane to be exported and reduce GHG emissions around the world.

Through ‘Youth4Climate’, the Italian COP26 partnership rightfully acknowledges the important role of the next generation to drive the climate change ambition. With the former UNICEF report ‘Danger in the air – How air pollution may be affecting the brain development of young children around the world’ in mind, the propane industry encourages government COP26 delegations to take this ambition beyond climate change.

Propane is a clean, efficient cooking solution for more than a billion people around the world, addressing climate change as well as improving quality of life. Propane has the opportunity to add greater value to the world, especially for over a billion people, principally women and girls in regions that still rely on unsustainable biomass and other dirty and dangerous fuels for cooking and heating.

The promise of renewable propane, being developed as part of the global push to develop biogases such as biomethane and being distributed through an existing supply chain, offers a pathway to a zero-carbon economy. Renewable propane, when combined with innovative efficiency technologies such as Micro CHP, fuel cells, hybrid heat pumps, or when used to support hybrid renewable energy systems, will result in near-zero emissions making it an important element in achieving national net-zero objectives.

The Canadian Propane Association, World LPG Association (WLPGA), regional and national propane industries are committed to jointly addressing the global challenge of climate change by working in cooperation within the COP26 process on the objectives laid out in the Paris Agreement. Through collective action, the sector can ensure that propane and renewable propane are recognized as low carbon, available and accessible energy sources that have a role to play in helping the global community ensure that the discussions during COP26 are fruitful and successful.