The trade association for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry, UKLPG, is hosting MPs at a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons to launch its landmark pathways document Gas for Off Grid Britain.

Following the launch of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy earlier this month, UKLPG’s report highlights LPG’s potential to immediately and significantly reduce carbon in the thousands of homes and businesses in the UK that don’t have access to mains gas.

Chief executive of UKLPG, Rob Shuttleworth explains: “It is vital for the Government to recognise that LPG remains the lowest carbon, most efficient and effective conventional fuel for off-grid customers and this important message is one that we will be sharing with politicians today”.

“While there have been substantial changes in the UK’s energy landscape over the past decade, LPG is the fuel that continues to tick all the right boxes, from a commercial, residential and indeed a policy point of view.

“Electricity alone cannot meet the heat needs of the rural community and as an industry we are pioneering new technologies as well as bio-LPG as part of a portfolio of long-term low carbon LPG solutions that will support communities off the gas grid for many years to come.

“We can replace the oldest most inefficient oil boilers today with clean condensing LPG boilers that both lower consumer bills and reduce carbon emissions.  Whilst the consumer would enjoy the benefits of a new gas boiler, in most cases they would not need a new central heating system, and the LPG storage tank would be part of their supply contract.”

A low carbon fuel, LPG emits 35% less CO2 than coal, 12% less than oil and almost no black carbon. With low particle emissions, low NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions and low sulphur content, it is the lowest carbon conventional off grid fuel, reliable and widely available, with a well-established supply infrastructure throughout the UK.

UKLPG is already developing plans to trial new technologies such as hybrid heat pumps with a boiler, gas absorption heat pumps and combined heat and power systems. Indeed, new technologies powered by LPG should be compared with the electric alternative from a lifetime cost cycle analysis, cost perspective, customer acceptability and practical effectiveness.

LPG suppliers have been working with Government, heating technology manufacturers and businesses to significantly reduce carbon and so have welcomed the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, launched on 12th October, in which the Government makes it clear that it wants to reduce emissions from the 850,000 homes currently off the gas grid that use oil for heating. It takes a similar view for businesses that use oil boilers and face volatile costs.

Shuttleworth continues: “Today, the LPG industry is already working with the Energy Services Catapult to explore how LPG can help to fast-track the decarbonisation of off-gas grid Britain and the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy provides a firm framework for our activities in this area to progress at pace.”

For more information and to download the report visit: http://www.uklpg.org/publications/gas-for-off-grid-britain/