All companies face the pressure of reducing overheads, and that’s regardless of whether they are operating off-grid, or not. Most businesses are also looking to improve efficiency and reduce their carbon footprints.
Focusing on the aim of carbon reduction, one thing that will help is for businesses to consider their energy supply. The average small business — those with between ten and 49 employees — across the UK forks out £19k on gas and electricity on an annual basis. With this staggering amount in mind, it surely makes sense to secure the very best off-grid, commercial energy source and deal. In fact, such a strategy couldn’t be more vital to your bottom line.
Oil has been the choice of fuel for so many commercial businesses over the years after they’ve came to the decision to go off-grid. However, LNG (liquified natural gas) and LPG (liquified petroleum gas) have started to become more popular as a result of rising environmental pressures and price volatility in recent years. Renewables are also proving more and more appealing to firms looking to take their energy supply off-grid.
It’s shouldn’t be too surprising to hear that these attitudes have changed. The likes of LPG provide a billion businesses and people across the globe with a versatile, reliable and secure supply – that’s both cleaner and more efficient than traditional fossil fuels. This means they benefit from swift cost savings and a lower carbon footprint to boot.
Have you relied on oil, electric and solid fuel across your business for years and feel prepared to make a change? Then you’ll also be pleased to hear that switching to LPG is very easy and can be carried out with minimal downtime to operations. However, before you take that all-important step towards a more sustainable and cost-effective energy solution, propane provider Flogas, which provides customers with a fixed or variable domestic LPG price that’s very attractive, has compiled its top FAQs to help you make a fully-informed decision…
What is meant by LPG?
Putting the natural gas of Propane (C3H8) and Butane (C4H10) under one blanket term, LPG is an acronym that’s short for liquefied petroleum gas. Both of these variations of gas are easily converted into a liquid by cooling or adding pressure. LPG is a natural by-product of natural gas and oil extraction (66%) and the refining of oil (34%). It’s an exceptional and efficient source of energy, that would otherwise go to waste if not captured.
How reliable is LPG?
Don’t worry about reliability in regards to LPG, that’s for sure. With LPG, it’s like having a mains gas supply, off the grid. It has multiple, major sources making it a widely available, secure energy source that’s in global abundance. There’s a strong network of depots and storage facilities across the UK, so you can always rely on a dependable supply. Also, tanks nowadays typically feature telemetry systems, allowing for remote monitoring and auto top-up, so you never run out.
How environmentally friendly is LPG?
LPG has been found to be cleaner than many fossil fuels, not to mention the fact it helps users to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. It emits 33% less CO2 than coal and 15% less than heating oil, with virtually no black carbon (a major contributor to climate change). What’s more, it doesn’t pose a risk to soil or groundwater and releases less nitrogen oxides (NOx) than most other fossil fuels. The result for companies? A lower carbon footprint and a cleaner, more futureproof supply.
Will all companies be able to benefit from using LPG?
A very versatile type of fuel, LPG can be used in a wide variety of situations. In fact, it has more than 1,000 uses. Available in bulk or in handy cylinders, it’s used across a vast array of commercial industries – from leisure, hospitality and agriculture through to the likes of industrial heating and manufacturing processes, including steam generation. Additionally, it can be used as efficient forklift truck fuel or to run greener vehicle fleets. You can find an exhaustive list on the UKLPG website.
How can businesses save money by using LPG?
The larger and more energy-intensive that your business is, the more money you’ll save by switching to LPG. We find this is particularly true for those still relying on oil. LPG has a higher calorific value per tonne than oil, making it more energy efficient. It is also cleaner, so requires far less maintenance – meaning businesses can reduce costly downtime.
What does a switch to LPG entail?
It’s so quick to switch from using oil to LPG, and an entirely stress-free procedure too. At Flogas, for example, they’ll manage the whole process from start to finish – making the conversion seamless. A dedicated project manager will ensure you receive a bespoke solution to meet your company’s exact energy needs, and expert engineers will coordinate the installation (either above or below ground).
Why not use LNG instead?
An acronym that means liquefied natural gas, LNG is a form of gas that’s been cooled to the extremely low temperature of -162ºC. This makes it extremely compact and light to store and transport. It’s a particularly popular option amongst more energy-intensive off-grid companies (across all sectors), for example, those using a high amount of oil (kerosene, gas oil or HFO) to drive larger manufacturing or industrial processes. It is also ideal for large logistics operations, such as road haulage and shipping, as well as for powering emergency backup generators at large usage sites.
Sources from UKLPG, WLPGA and Comparethemarket.com