LP gas stands for liquefied petroleum gas. LP gases are mixtures of hydrocarbon gases used as fuel in heating appliances (clothes dryers, for example) and vehicles (as an alternative fuel to gasoline). They are flammable. The most common forms of LP gases are propane and butane. They are stored in large aboveground or underground tanks or in smaller cylinders. Propane tends to be used mostly in winter and butane in summer

Why use LP gases for energy?

LP gases often provide an alternative to energy sources such as natural gas, electricity or heating oil. They are particularly useful in areas that are not connected to local natural gas supply. They are safe sources of energy that are used by millions of Americans and commercial establishments. LP gases are also easy to transport since they can be compressed from a gas into a liquid (where propane, for example, is 270 times more compact).

Propane uses

Propane is very popular in the United States. There are millions of residential and commercial consumers. It is a versatile fuel that people find convenient, clean, efficient and safe. Propane is convenient because you control your own supply and it works with many appliances in the house (stove, pool, etc.). It is clean because for a fossil fuel propane low emissions and has no negative impact on the soil. It is efficient since its use is very cost-effective. It is safe given how regulated its use is, making accidents highly unlikely.

They have no color, hardly any smell (except for odorants mixed with LPGs to make it easier to detect gas leaks) and they are not toxic. In fact, LP gases emit lower carbon emissions than other fossil fuels. They are also convenient because LP gases come in bulk and are stored on your property so the only risk of running out is forgetting to refill your container (tank or cylinder).

Propane is used for outdoor lighting (1), clothes drying (2), water heating (3), indoor heating (4), fireplaces (5), outdoor grilling (6), spas (7), pool heating (8), cooking (9), refrigeration (10) and even cars (11).

Butane appliances

On the other hand, butane comes in handy because it is stored in smaller cylinders so you can use it anywhere on your property. It is more likely to freeze than propane so people mostly use butane during the summer (outdoor grills) or by storing the cylinder indoors for a specific usage (gas stoves, for example).

A butane camping stove