PERC approves four funding requests via February conference call

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), meeting by conference call last month, approved the following funding requests, listed by amount and with the principal contractor in parenthesis:

■ $60,000 for an ongoing project that aligns the current CETP Basic Electricity textbook into an updated CETP Basic Appliance Service & Troubleshooting curriculum (Dashe & Thomson). PERC approved about $747,000 when the project launched in 2011; its deadline was extended until December.

■ $60,000 for a CARB certification roadmap 2013, which would clarify expectations for vehicle certification; help ensure propane is recognized in the California fuels marketplace; and serve as a contact for PERC partners seeking regulatory recognition (Dunlap Group).

■ $50,000 for the Carbon Management Information Center Consortium 2013 (Gas Technology Institute). The project will develop resources and analytical tools to show how propane is the better option compared to electric and oil for improving total energy efficiency, reducing emissions and lowering energy costs to consumers.

■ A no-cost change order was approved for the continued development of a gas engine-driven heat pump family of products and the addition of a prototype residential unit for demonstration. Blue Mountain Energy, IntelliChoice Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are the principal contractors.

PERC will meet on April 12 at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, preceding the NPGA Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo.