PERC approves funding requests in Portland

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) approved the following funding requests from its July meeting in Portland, Ore., with the amount and principal contractor:

Safety and training
• $271,110 to CLMI Safety Training for a propane industry-specific workplace injury reduction program.

• $81,750 to BGT for 2011 industry outreach and engagement, a three-part program that will help PERC reach and coordinate with marketers not already engaged in council initiatives.

• $42,950 to Logica 3 for a heavy snowfall brochure and e-learning module, which will inform consumers, property managers and local authorities to keep piping and regulators clear of snow to prevent gas leaks that can lead to home explosions and community evacuations.

Research and development
• $1 million to Roush CleanTech for Ford F-650 6.8-liter 3V liquid propane injection development of medium-duty trucks that can help fleets cut their operating costs and lower their carbon emissions.

• $885,000 to Fiskars for propane-powered lawn care equipment development, for consumer and commercial use. PERC will provide co-funding in a project that is estimated to total about $3 million.

• $665,034 to Nexight Group for a residential commercial demonstration program, which would encourage real-world demonstration of newly commercialized propane-fueled equipment in the residential and commercial markets.

• $500,000 to Blue Bird for second-generation propane autogas Vision school bus development. Another $500,000 was approved for this project in 2010.

• $300,000 to PERC for Engine Fuel Advisory Committee professional services (July 2011 to July 2012), which would continue established program management and implementation support of new products and market opportunities.

• $135,000 to L.B. White Co. Inc. for agricultural heating systems fuel efficiency improvements. The project will help develop direct-fired heaters for primary heat in greenhouses as well as variable rate direct-fired heating systems, primarily for swine animal confinement.

Industry programs and state rebates
• $1.5 million to PERC for the 2011-12 Partnership with States Program, which supports the industry by matching funds to energize collaborative efforts in safety, training, and the commercialization of technologies from research and development efforts.

• $2,750 to the Pennsylvania Propane Foundation for a mobile energy education training unit partnership, allowing the Pennsylvania association to exhibit and disseminate PERC developed safety and training material.

• $9,043.64 to New York PERC for 2011 engine fuel initiatives.

The council learned that 41 replicated states rebate requests totaling about $1.3 million had been approved since the council’s last meeting, in April. Nine programs had been awarded $112,209.40 in Partnership with States funding.

The council will next meet Oct. 13-14 in Washington, D.C.