Propane can help NY reach its school bus clean-energy mandates
Bill Overbaugh
Newsday
March 18, 2024
A group of Long Island state senators and Assembly members recently asked Gov. Kathy Hochul to either fully fund or rescind the state mandate that all new buses sold in the state be zero-emission by 2027 and every bus on the road be zero-emission by 2035. The reason? The exorbitant cost of electric buses, which run upward of $450,000, and the impact that will have on taxpayers. Though electric buses run clean and quiet, their extremely high costs place big burdens on school district budgets, which can mean less money for what matters most: educating children.
The smart move would be to include ultra-low-emission propane buses as part of the mandate. Propane can drive both environmental and fiscal responsibility from the statehouse down to individual districts.
It would cost as much as $20 billion to transition all 45,000 of New York’s school buses to electric, according to some estimates. It’s doubtful the state could fully fund that amount, though some funding is being made available for electric buses through the federal Clean School Bus Program.
Time is quickly passing for diesel school buses. The fumes, noise, and high maintenance costs to keep diesel “clean” have created an unacceptable situation for students. Repeatedly exposing them to that thick, black smoke is irresponsible.
Propane buses virtually eliminate that smoke, and dramatically reduce nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, which can lead to ailments like asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems.
The operating cost of propane buses is half the cost of diesel buses. More significantly, a school district can purchase three propane buses for every one electric bus. With virtually every school district in New York managing ever-tightening budgets, the savings provides the best of both worlds — cleaner air and cost savings.
Plus, it takes mere minutes to refuel a propane bus, compared to hours for recharging an electric bus.
Propane buses are better for our children, better for our communities, and better for the environment. Everyone deserves access to clean, affordable and reliable energy, as well as clean air to breathe. Propane provides all of that right now and is easily implemented.
The “electrify everything” school bus mindset contains inconsistencies. Some 60% of the U.S. electric grid is powered by coal and natural gas, so if one considers the whole emissions equation, propane buses are simply cleaner. As demand on the grid increases, in part due to the increase of electric passenger vehicles, so will reliance on coal and natural gas, at least in the short term, leading to greater environmental impact, especially in rural areas where power plants are often located.
More than 22,000 propane school buses operate nationwide, transporting 1.3 million kids to school in 49 states. In New York, that includes 243 buses used by school districts. Seven school districts in Suffolk and Nassau counties currently utilize about 60 propane school buses to transport students.
Propane buses have a range of up to 400 miles on a single tank, compared to 130 miles for a fully charged electric bus, important in rural areas and for after-school activities, especially on frigid days; electric buses lose up to a third of their range when temperatures drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
All New York communities stand to benefit substantially from propane bus implementation. By embracing its benefits, Hochul and state lawmakers will ultimately achieve the twin goals of environmental and fiscal responsibility.
This guest essay reflects the views of Bill Overbaugh, executive director of the New York Propane Gas Association.
Letter: Propane Buses
Bill Overbaugh
The Post-Star
There is a lot of money available to promote the electrification of bus fleets. However, that’s because they are not economically viable on their own and require significant public grants to overcome the cost differential. A diesel bus costs $170,000. An electric bus costs $470,000, plus the charging infrastructure, which in some cases (especially rural upstate school districts) can be over a million dollars. The sad truth is that, even with all the incentives, grants, rebates, and loans electric school buses STILL COST SIGNIFICANTLY MORE money than the other alternatives.
But there is a way to have your cake and eat it too. New York State has more school districts operating propane school buses than any other state in the country. Propane buses cost $10,000 more than diesel buses and have extremely low NOx and absolutely no SOx emissions. They achieve the same public health benefits that an electric bus does at a fraction of the cost. What’s more important is that the fuel is significantly less than diesel or gasoline, the infrastructure is already in place, and manufacturers are already turning out thousands of propane-powered school buses every year. The smart move would be to include ultra-low-emission propane buses as part of the mandate. Propane can drive both environmental and fiscal responsibility from the statehouse down to individual districts.
It is a shame that New York State is taking a very narrow-minded approach of electrification when there are cost-effective, reliable, proven technologies that can achieve carbon reduction goals, public health benefit goals, and reduce the taxpayer burden. We encourage that state to open up to these alternatives.
Convert Your Wood Burning Fireplace to Propane
On a cold day, there’s nothing like a fire in the fireplace. It not only warms the home, it warms the soul, inviting you to leave the day’s cares behind and get cozy.
But having to set up and maintain a wood burning fireplace can be a time-consuming and expensive chore. And if your fireplace is in a state of disrepair, using it can be dangerous.
There are many people who have faced these situations who have found a solution. They have converted their old wood-burning fireplaces to safe propane gas-burning fireplaces.
Why not consider joining them and add a propane fireplace to your home? If you need an incentive, get started now and you’ll be able to enjoy your brand new propane fireplace in time for the holiday season.
You might be wondering how much propane a fireplace would use. Here’s a simple answer: A propane fireplace uses about one gallon of propane per 100,000 BTU. So, if you are getting a propane fireplace that is rated 50,000 BTU, you’ll be using one gallon of propane every two hours your propane fireplace is operating.
When you consider the time and money you spend on a wood fireplace, you may find that propane is a much better deal for your home and your lifestyle.
Propane hearths: heat without the hassle
Today’s propane hearths bring you all the cozy warmth and comfort of a traditional wood burning fireplace, without most of the drawbacks and with some benefits you’ll never get from a wood fireplace.
You can get propane hearths in many forms. They’re available as freestanding stoves, built-in fireplaces and sealed fireplace inserts that can be directly installed in your existing mantle. That kind of flexibility lets you enjoy all the benefits of a propane fireplace, whether or not you have a fireplace already.
What are the advantages of a propane hearth or fireplace? Here are a few:
Convenience: A propane fireplace gives you the warmth, glow and comfort you want on-demand. No need to lug in wood, build a fire, and wait for it to get started. Most of today’s propane fireplaces come equipped with thermostats that let you control the heat output and flame intensity from the comfort of your couch.
Health effects: Wood smoke smells good, but it’s not that good for you. Fine particles (also called fine particulate matter) are the biggest health threat from wood smoke. These microscopic particles can cause serious problems with your respiratory system, raise the risk of heart attacks, and more. Using a propane fireplace lets you avoid these health risks.
Environmental impact: Did you know that burning wood produces about 28 pounds of smog-producing particulate emissions — the soot and ash — per MMBTUs (million BTUs) of heat output? Meanwhile, propane produces less than 1% of that amount. Do some good for the environment by switching your wood fireplace to propane, and shrink the carbon footprint of your New York home.
Efficiency: A propane fireplace operates at around 80 percent efficiency. It’s about four to five times more efficient than a wood fireplace.
Propane fireplace insert trends
A propane fireplace insert gives you all the efficiency, ease and convenience of a propane hearth, inside the attractive framework of an existing masonry fireplace. Here’s what else you get:
More realistic flames: Improved gas technology has created flames that flicker and dance, looking more like a real wood fire.
Adjustable heat: With a wood fireplace, you can’t control its heat levels. With a propane fireplace insert, you can fire it up on a cold winter day, or dial it down so it’s just enough to feel cozy on a crisp autumn day, with multi-stage temperature controls.
More sizes: Is your wood fireplace opening too narrow or small for a typical fireplace insert? Propane fireplaces with smaller inserts are becoming more common, so you, too, can enjoy the benefits of propane.
Smarter fireplace inserts: Propane fireplace inserts not only give you a fire in the fireplace on-demand, but can also be programmed to turn on and off at set times. They even have an option to let you program temperature settings for specific times of the day or night.
High-efficiency backup heat: With today’s energy-efficient propane fireplace inserts, you can get a better source of supplemental heat for your home than a wood fireplace.
Fireplace inserts with blowers: Do you have an open-concept living space? Do you have a large space to heat, like a rec room? We’ve got good news for you. Some propane fireplace inserts now come with multi-speed blowers. They push warm air out from in front of the fireplace to the far corners of the room for more even and comfortable heating.
Masonry fireplace refinishing: By adding a propane fireplace insert, you have the chance to update your existing masonry fireplace’s look to anything from sleek contemporary to modern farmhouse a la “Fixer Upper” without breaking the bank.
How to light a propane fireplace
One of the biggest advantages a propane fireplace offers is how fast, easy and work-free it is to get a roaring fire going. All you have to do is simply use a remote control or flip a switch.
Sometimes, however, the fire does not appear. Problems such as this often occur due to a lack of maintenance. We’ve got some troubleshooting tips for you.
If your fireplace has a conventional pilot light:
- Is the gas turned on? Find out by checking the main valve.
- If the gas is on and the pilot hasn’t been lit in several months, purge the air out of the pilot tubing. How do you do this? Hold the pilot button down for about two minutes while the air bleeds out of the tubing.
- If gas is coming out of the pilot but still won’t light, use a can of compressed air (like what you’d use to clean your computer keyboard) to clear away any gunk between the thermocouple and the igniter. If it doesn’t solve the problem, you may have a bad thermocouple. At that point, call in your local New York propane professional to make any needed repairs.
NOTE: Some of the newer propane fireplaces have electric igniters instead of the standing pilot lights. They’re great for efficiency, but they are not easy to repair for a DIYer. It’s best to call in the experts if you have this type of fireplace.
Need advice on propane fireplaces? Reach out to your local propane company. They’ll be glad to help!