PERC puts $10 million communications program in play

February 25, 2021 By    

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) approved 14 funding requests during its virtual meeting in February.

Half of the dockets reflect PERC’s business development efforts, aimed to create new partnerships, maintain existing relationships, generate new research and product development projects, support environmental and market outreach, and support products in the market.

Here’s the full list of approved projects:

  • $9,863,000 for 2021 integrated marketing communications, encompassing total programming for all markets, environmental thought leadership, corporate communications and digital development. Swanson Russell serves as a lead vendor for the program.
  • $1,495,000 for the 2021 partnership with the National Propane Gas Association and GPA Midstream. The agreement fosters a strategic alignment and an effective allocation of resources among the three national nonprofit organizations to protect and promote the interests of the industry, consumers and the public.
  • $675,000 for business development engagement and professional services.
  • $657,500 for residential market business development.
  • $620,000 for autogas market business development.
  • $574,000 for 2021 market research and data operation, allowing the council to acquire and consolidate market and industry data, and develop tools to transform it into actionable information.
  • $472,500 for commercial market business development.
  • $450,000 for a Stirling battery ecosystem using propane. Qnergy, a clean technology manufacturer of Stirling energy systems, will launch a new product line with a 9-10-kilowatt propane Stirling battery generator for telecom applications – expected in 2023. Other markets include residential and electric vehicle charging.
  • $365,000 for material handling market business development.
  • $285,000 for agriculture market business development.
  • $260,000 for the development and UL certification of a propane-fired burner for a 4 kilowatt-electric Stirling generator, with an expected launch in 2022.
  • $255,000 for off-road market business development.
  • $250,000 for 2021 Learning Center support, covering its software and operating system.
  • $152,414 for a study that analyzes near-term technical and economic potential for renewable propane and to address emerging feedstocks and production that have longer-term potential.

The council will meet virtually April 22 before looking to gather in-person for its July 20-21 meeting in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

About the Author:

Brian Richesson is the editor in chief of LP Gas Magazine. Contact him at brichesson@northcoastmedia.net or 216-706-3748.

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