LPG helping businesses to be clean and green this Clean Air Day
3 min read
This Clean Air Day UKLPG is promoting the clean air benefits that businesses can deliver through the greater take up of LPG powered appliances and vehicles.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a clean alternative to conventional high carbon fossil fuels which offers immediate solutions for off-gas grid heat and urban transport. Low in carbon, nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), LPG delivers clean air through all its applications.
LPG is used by tens of thousands of businesses off the gas grid that require an efficient, cost effective and reliable fuel source. The British agricultural sector, the hospitality and leisure sector and the manufacturing sector all depend upon LPG to meet their businesses energy needs.
LPG’s low pollutant levels mean that off-grid businesses can be both energy efficient, environmentally friendly and compliant with air quality regulations such as the Medium Combustion Plant (MCP) Directive which comes into force later this year. Businesses switching from oil to LPG can achieve instant savings of more than 20% in CO2, 65% NOx and more than 99% in particulate matter emissions.
Businesses operating Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) such as forklift trucks (FLTs) can also benefit significantly from using LPG. Because of its air quality benefits LPG powered FLTs can be used both indoors and outdoors unlike the diesel equivalents. Furthermore they can operate 24/7 on all surfaces and inclines and are never out of operation for charging, as is the case for the electric powered models.
For fleets operating vans and taxis in cities LPG powered vehicles provide an immediate solution to the Government’s urban air quality crisis. With poor air quality being responsible for as many as 40,000 premature deaths per year in the UK, action is needed now to clean up the most polluting vehicles operating in the UK’s cities.
The recent dash away from diesel vehicles post ‘dieselgate’ has moved fleet drivers towards petrol models rather than Euro 6 diesels or hybrids, this has inadvertently seen CO2 emissions levels rise. With LPG there is no trade-off between CO2, NOx and PM as savings can be achieved on all pollutants through the greater uptake of LPG powered vans and taxis.
Last year, UKLPG member company Autogas Ltd successfully supported a £500,000 DfT-funded pilot scheme with Birmingham City Council to repower 65 diesel powered taxis in the city to run on cleaner LPG. Independent testing found that the repowered LPG taxis emitted 99% less particulate matter, 80% less NOx, as well as reducing CO2 emissions.
UKLPG Public Affairs Manager Emily Wilson-Gavin said “Legislators need to recognise that businesses are keen to run clean, energy efficient business operations that deliver clean and healthy air quality for their employees, customers and the communities in which they operate, however they must be also able to remain functional and competitive. LPG offers an immediate solution for off-grid businesses and urban fleet transport operations that is cost effective and will benefit public health now.”
For more information about Clean Air Day please visit this page & for more information on the benefits of LPG visit this page.
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