NATURAL GAS CAME UP SHORT DURING TEXAS’ FREEZE BUT PROPANE DELIVERED

On March 16, 2021 By Russ

The recent Texas freeze over has been a big eye-opener in many aspects. Energy is at the heart of the issue and this recent failure makes one thing very clear: relying on only one energy source can be dangerous.

In Texas, over half of the electricity comes from natural gas followed by renewables (23%), coal (17%), and nuclear (8%). The freezing temperatures caused electricity outages for over 4 million people and while Texas’s grid system is unique, the crisis they faced could just as easily happen anywhere across the country.

Luckily, unlike the 2013 and 2014 polar vortex, propane was prepared to step in where it could. Propane is dense, very accessible, and easy to transport, and many Texans were able to keep their lights on and houses warm by using propane tanks. In fact, propane generators are now backing up almost 100% of cell phone towers and propane tanks are able to feed permanently mounted generators in a residential setting. On top of being clean, abundant, and practical, propane is in all 50 states, is easily stored and moved, and accomplishes the same tasks as natural gas without reliance on any natural gas pipelines.

Decarbonization is often seen as the main objective of the propane industry but keeping the grid reliable is a more immediate goal. Because of the extreme weather events that are becoming more ordinary, blackouts and natural gas shortages may happen more frequently, giving propane the perfect opportunity to step in.