Energy Planning Consultants, Inc.

Propane Powered Lawn Mower

John DeFilippi, owner of ecoLogical Lawn Care, stands next to lawn mowers powered by propane and an electric battery on Friday. While the company s service costs more than gas-powered mowers, DeFilippi said his equipment runs quieter and is more environmentally friendly. ( Greg Lindstrom )

Toxicity

Propane is a nontoxic gas. In comparison methanol, gasoline, diesel, and ethanol are listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as toxic liquids. Methanol mixes readily with groundwater and is virtually unremovable once it enters the soil or water supply. Propane is released as a gas and will not contaminate soil or groundwater supplies. Therefore, propane is exempt from the USEPA's tough underground storage regulations.

Safety

Propane is considered a safe motor fuel by the federal government. School buses run on propane. Propane vehicle tanks are tested to four times the normal operating pressures, and these tanks are 20 times as puncture resistant as gasoline, methanol, or ethanol vehicle tanks. Of methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, or propane, propane has the lowest flammability range--a safety advantage.

Made in the USA

Over 88 percent of the current propane use in this country comes from our own sources. Of this, 70 percent comes from the processing of natural gas. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico have extensive natural gas reserves. The majority (75 percent) of imported propane comes from Canada.

Supply

Approximately 97 percent of the U.S. propane supply is produced in North America, and 88 percent of that is produced in the U.S.

Overfilling Precaution

Since 1984, all new propane tanks are required to have an overfill protection device that shuts off the filling process when the tank reaches 80% of its liquid capacity. This allows for changes in fuel volume caused by temperature changes--such as when a car is driven from a frigid street into a heated garage.

Vehicle Tanks

Propane vehicle tanks are constructed from carbon steel under a code developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. A propane tank is 20 times more puncture resistant than a typical gasoline, methanol, or ethanol tank. In addition, a properly installed propane tank can actually add to the structural strength of a vehicle. Propane tanks are tested at four times their normal pressure of 135 particle size efficiency while compressed natural gas tank's normal pressure is 3,600 per square inch.

Other Links: National Propane Association