Every successful project starts with a framework. A vision statement. A blueprint. The staff of Engineered Systems is proud to present The Blueprint — a monthly Q&A interview with HVACR engineering’s leading voices. These one-on-one discussions examine the trade’s history, current industry trends, the factors shaping the sector’s future, and more.

In this Blueprint Q&A, Bryan Cordill, director of residential and commercial business development, Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), provides an update on the state of the propane industry, offers his insight on inflation, and much more.

Engineered Systems: Inflation has hammered all industries, though the heating market has been hit extremely hard. I believe I saw numbers on the news this week that stated heating oil is up more than 50% year over year. Can you speak to the impact inflation has had on the propane industry?

Cordill: The report you're referencing is from the EIA. There is no denying heating oil is up year over year. The EIA showed a historical separation between the cost of heating oil and the cost of propane for residential and commercial applications. However, when comparing the cost of energy units in oil, take a look at crude oil, as that directly impacts No. 2 fuel oil and diesel. Historically, about 75% of the value of crude was the cost of propane. Today, that number is around 40%.

So, we have a historically widespread opportunity for those operating commercial buildings. Moving away from oil not only saves money, but we're a much cleaner fuel. Not just from the contamination of the soil and the risks that you have with any oil but also when combusted, propane offers lower NOx and CO2 emissions from that equipment as well. And, when swapping out, you're probably moving from not-quite-as-efficient equipment to a highly efficient, modern appliance.

Read the entire interview on Engineered Systems’ website.

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