Propane energy of the future
Cultivating a Greener Future: The Benefits of Renewable Propane for Farmers
by Canadian Propane Association
Propane is a critical low-emission energy source for Canada’s agriculture community. It provides the versatility and portability that farmers need to dry their crops, heat their barns and greenhouses, and power equipment, vehicles, mowers, and so much more.
As farmers face the challenge of increasing yields while minimizing their environmental impact, propane offers a practical solution by providing the energy needed for modern agriculture with lower emissions and reduced costs.
The propane industry is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and continues to innovate to meet the goals of a more sustainable future. Renewable propane is on the horizon, offering farmers a seamless and cost-effective means of achieving their sustainability objectives.
Renewable propane has the same great features as conventional propane — reliability, portability, power, and reduced risk to water and soil — but with even lower carbon emissions when compared with other energy sources. Its compatibility with existing propane equipment makes it an easy transition for farmers looking to adopt an even more sustainable energy solution.
Renewable propane can be used alone or in blends with other renewable sources such as DME (dimethyl ether) or low-carbon energy – including conventional propane – to further reduce carbon emissions without sacrificing performance.
Renewable propane is made from a variety of renewable feedstocks, including camelina sativa, a fast-growing, non-food rotation crop that produces tiny, oily seeds perfect for renewable fuel production. California-based Global Clean Energy is developing and producing renewable fuels using their proprietary camelina feedstock. They say their farm-to-fuel production process could open up new opportunities for farmers because the crop grows on land that would be fallow or idle, does not displace food crops, matures in less than 100 days, and requires very little water to thrive.
While renewable propane is currently being produced in the U.S. and Europe, Canada’s propane industry is charting its own path to develop this sustainable energy source in Canada. The Canadian Propane Association, the national association for Canada’s propane industry, expects to release its decarbonization pathways study this fall. The study will provide a roadmap to produce renewable propane or a blend of propane with other renewable hydrocarbons in Canada.
As the agricultural sector seeks sustainable solutions to meet the growing demands of a changing world, renewable propane offers farmers the chance to enhance their operations, reduce their environmental impact, and secure a greener future for generations to come.
Propane Industry Supports Canada’s Farming Community
The Canadian Propane Association and its members have spent several years advocating for economic relief for farmers by calling on the government to exempt propane used for farming from the federal carbon tax.
With the yearly increases in the rate of carbon tax ratcheting up to $170 per tonne by 2030, the exemption will mean annual savings to farmers of about $33 million by the year 2030-2031.
The CPA is supporting Private Member Bill C-234, which would exempt propane from the carbon tax. The bill is currently before the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.