October 30, 2020
For every type of agricultural operation, fuel is a critical component. Ensuring you have a secure and plentiful supply wherever and whenever you need it, and at an affordable price, is essential to running an efficient, profitable, and successful farm.
That’s why many farmers are rediscovering the benefits of propane, which has been used in agriculture since the 1920s. Propane is a clean and versatile fuel that can be used for virtually every aspect of your farm’s operations. Most importantly, it offers a secure supply of fuel to keep all areas of your farm running effectively.
Propane Provides a Secure Supply
You know all too well the demanding fuel requirements of farming equipment. It burns through fuel quickly and when you’re at a critical point in your operations (whether it’s irrigating fields, harvesting/drying this season’s crop or heating buildings through a cold winter), a disruption of supply could have a devastating impact on your business.
In cases where natural gas or electricity are insufficient energy sources for your operations and you’re running into shortages, or experiencing fuel premiums or capacity issues, propane is a great alternative for your farm.
With propane, you’re in control of the energy supply. When your tank is running low, you can simply place a call to schedule a delivery or, if your supplier offers wireless tank monitoring, sensors on your tank remotely monitor your fuel level, detect when it’s time for a refill and notify your supplier to automatically schedule your delivery. That means you never run short, so you avoid costly downtimes and potential disasters. Propane is abundantly available in Canada and can be stored easily and safely on your farm. You can be confident you will always have an accessible fuel supply on hand.
Propane Involves Significantly Lower Infrastructure Costs
The capital investment required to run electricity or natural gas to a farm could be extremely high in some cases. Depending on the province and other variables it’s best to gain an understanding of those costs up front before making that investment.
Establishing a propane-powered operation, however, could be a fraction of that cost by comparison. This provides a huge savings and convenience for all farms, and especially for those in remote areas not easily serviced. Your propane provider can help you identify the best setup for your farm without compromising performance, power or productivity.
Propane Powers a Wide Variety of Farm Equipment
By consolidating multiple tasks to a single fuel source — propane — you can reduce administrative complexities and make it easier to track costs and stay on top of billing.
Propane can be used in just about every area of your farming operation to power most types of equipment, including:
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Heating. For residential buildings; outbuildings such as barns, brooding sheds, greenhouses and nurseries; hot water heaters; fish farms; crop and vineyard heating.
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Crop care. For irrigation; crop drying; vineyard heating; thermal agriculture; CO2 generation for plant growth in greenhouses; chemical-free pest control.
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Livestock care. For barn heating and precision control heaters; sanitation pressure washers; steam generation and drying.
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Vehicles. For pickup trucks, medium-duty vehicles and forklifts, and other large equipment.
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Prime or backup power. Power generation equipped for all size loads in any application.
When you run most areas of your farm on a single, cost-effective fuel, with a secure source of supply and extensive delivery network, you’ll enjoy greater peace of mind as well as cost savings.
Reduce Your Farm’s Carbon Footprint
Notably, propane is lower in GHG emissions than gasoline, diesel, heavy fuel oil, or ethanol, which makes it a more environmentally friendly choice. Propane irrigation engines, for example, average 24% fewer emissions than gasoline and up to 11% fewer than diesel.
If you’re looking for a way to ensure your farm operates cost-effectively and without disruptions, it may be time to make clean, accessible propane your preferred source of fuel.
