Beyond The Gas Grid campaign

LPG is one of the few alternative energies immediately available to heat off-grid homes, decarbonise businesses, and clean the air in European rural areas today. It offers citizens a cost-effective choice in the energy transition that is tailored to their local needs. LPG keeps off-grid families and communities warm by reducing energy poverty at the personal level, while addressing security of supply at the EU level.

LPG is available in all European countries, and bioLPG is distributed in growing quantities without any changes to infrastructure or appliances. It is a reliable partner to intermittent renewable energy sources and efficient technologies to achieve a zero-emission future. It therefore has a place in the 2050 energy system, and deserves a level playing field with other sustainable energies.

Heating homes and businesses with LPG

European case studies

Switching from a coal or oil boiler to an LPG appliance reduces CO2 emissions. Additionally, LPG produces virtually no Particulate Matter (PM) compared to oil and coal. From 2030 onward, we assume renewable bioLPG replaces conventional LPG, for an even lower carbon footprint than conventional LPG. The following case-studies come from a study commissioned to Ecuity Consulting.

There are around 1.9 million single-family homes not connected to the gas grid in Germany. Oil is one of the main fuels used to heat rural homes (25% of total homes in rural Germany).
This analysis takes a typical large detached single-family home in Germany and estimates the health and cost impact of switching from an old conventional oil boiler to a modern condensing LPG boiler. As well as changing heating systems, the household also retrofit thermal insulation.

In the Swedish industrial sector, manufacturing processes require the largest share of energy to operate. Over the past few years, the consumption of energy has started to decrease. Fuel-switching is however still required in the most energy-intensive industries.
This case study analyses the monetary and health impact of a typical mining and quarrying site that switches from using a fire-tube steam boiler fuelled by gas oil (in process heat applications) to a fire-tube boiler fuelled by LPG.

Manufacturing accounts for 16% of Italy’s economy (as a % of gross value added), nearly double the size of the UK manufacturing base (9%). Oil use accounts for 10% of energy consumption in the industrial sector. The industry sectors that consume the most oil are non-metallic minerals, Machinery manufacturers and the chemical & petrochemical sector.
This analysis considers the monetary and health impact of a machinery manufacturer switching from a fire-tube steam boiler that is fuelled by oil to a fire-tube boiled fuelled by LPG.

There are 25.2 million dwellings in Spain, with around one-third of these being single-family homes. Household energy consumption in Spain is dominated almost equally by petroleum products (35%) and renewable heating (34.5%). This is followed by natural gas (25%) and electric heating (6%). (IDAE)
This analysis takes a typical single-family home in Mediterranean Spain and quantifies the impact of switching from an old oil boiler to a hybrid combination of a solar thermal system and a new LPG boiler.

Around 70% of single-family homes in Poland are heated with coal, this equates to around 3.5 million coal-fired boilers. The vast majority of these homes (about 3 million) are heated by manual-fed coal boilers that are technologically outdated, inefficient and responsible for high carbon emissions and air pollution.
The analysis below considers a typical detached, single-family house in Poland that currently uses an old coal boiler and, estimates the fuel bill and emission savings that can be achieved if the house retrofits external wall insulation and switches to a new LPG boiler.

In England’s rural areas, heating oil is typically used to heat homes and hotels. Using heating oil produces high levels of greenhouse gas emissions and significantly worsens air quality. Many rural hotels are typically very energy inefficient with a low level of thermal insulation.
The analysis below considers the monetary and health benefits of a rural hotel (built before 1918) switching from using an old oil boiler to a new condensing LPG boiler.

Downloads

Residential and Industrial case studies

Please find here the complete case studies featured above, including a comparaison with other energy solutions:

Germany

Sweden

Italy

Spain

Poland

United Kingdom

 

 

The Role of LPG and bioLPG in Europe (WLPGA)

Liquid Gas Europe regularly works with the World LPG Association (WLPGA). The WLPGA has recently published a report titled The Role of LPG and bioLPG in Europe, which further illustrates how LPG can meet the energy needs of many businesses in rural areas.

 

The Role of LPG Bio LPG in Europe The 2019 Report 1