556: Is 'Renewable' Propane Really Clean Energy or Just Hype?

I’m no fan of the hype train and misdirection foisted upon us by much of the traditional fossil fuel industry. So, when I met Tucker Perkins, president and CEO of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), I was happy to “entertain” a phone call to hear why he believes renewable propane can be dubbed a clean and sustainable energy source. Truthfully, I had zero intention of ever having him on the show. But after a delightful 30 minute jousting match over zoom, I was convinced that there was more to his narrative than meets the eye, and that it’d make a fun and entertaining (at the very least) episode for the SunCast faithful. And, I actually learned quite alot! As Tucker explains, renewable propane — sometimes called biopropane, bioLPG, eco-propane and rLPG — is a drop-in replacement for traditional propane produced from petroleum refining. Rather than oil or natural gas, the sources of renewable propane include biomass, biogas, municipal solid waste and even corn or sugarcane. In today's eye-opening Tactical Tuesday, Tucker shares his vision of the potential of renewable propane and Nico challenges him on its role in the future of green energy. Tucker believes "safe, reliable and economical" renewable propane is part of the solution for an energy-efficient future. Will you agree? Or do you believe it’s just part of the massive greenwashing happening right now across the fossil fuel industry to convince consumers that “it’s not that bad” and “there are ‘clean-er’ options to how we’ve been doing this.”? PERC, operated and funded by the propane industry, views renewable propane as a viable energy source for powering homes, businesses, and vehicles due to its high energy density, clean burning characteristics, and cost-effectiveness. This episode takes me out of my comfort zone, as I reach across the aisle to explore renewable propane as an alternative to synthetic or fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, or gasoline. One key question I come away with “Is renewable propane, as it's generally called in the United States, the best term for this fuel?” Tucker and I discuss this in depth and I admire Tucker’s willingness to engage. Please tune in to learn more about an alternative fuel that can potentially help us power our world, sustain our quality of life, and promote the justice and equity we seek. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog. SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world’s most bankable inverter brand. You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you, here: www.mysuncast.com/sponsors Remember you can always find the resources and learn more about today’s guest, recommendations, book links, and more than 555 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com. You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on Twitter or LinkedIn.