Supers put propane in play with PERC’s Golf Demo Program

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is gaining ground in its efforts to partner with supers to make the Green Industry greener. PERC’s Golf Demo Program, conducted 2015-2016, yielded compelling success stories from the eight participating golf courses that powered their maintenance equipment with propane instead of gasoline or diesel.

The numbers speak for themselves: Compared to gasoline-powered maintenance equipment, the propane-powered units reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 35 percent to 44 percent, and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions 10 percent to 27 percent. Versus diesel equipment, the propane-powered units captured up to a 17-percent reduction in (CO2) emissions, and up to a 94-percent reduction in NOx emissions with some machines.

According to PERC, the bottom line gets greener, too, for supers who make the move to propane. PERC studies show supers can cut maintenance equipment fuel costs 13 percent (per hour of operation), and save 40 percent on equipment oil changes.

“We’re getting more and more supers hooked on propane by starting them off with low-cost conversions of their existing course maintenance equipment,” adds Jeremy Wishart, PERC’s deputy director of business development. “Conversions to propane can cost as little as a few hundred dollars to $1,000 to $2,000 for a fairway mower.”