Lawn Mower Propane Cylinder Exchange
The momentum of the "green movement" is increasing as fast as gasoline prices, and landscape maintenance companies are turning to alternatives to help them cut emissions while still boosting their bottom line. More and more of these companies are finding solutions for these issues by swapping out their traditional gasoline commercial mowers with propane-fueled mowers.
Manufacturers are taking note of this trend as well. In 2008 there were only two manufacturers producing commercial-grade propane mowers. As of February 2011, there are at least 29 different models to choose from made by all the big industry players.
So what specifically are the reasons for this trend?
Lower Operating Costs
There are a number of ways that operating commercial mowers can lead to reduced operating costs for large landscaping companies. These benefits include:
- Lower cost of fuel as propane is currently an average of 33% less than gas or diesel
- Reduced equipment maintenance due to stale gasoline
- Potentially longer engine life due to propane's higher octane level with fewer carbon deposits
- Elimination of fuel spillage & leakage, especially with propane cylinder exchange delivery
- Reduction in fuel theft
Environmental Impact
According to Brian Feehan of the Propane Education & Resource Council (PERC), "propane-fueled mowers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 50% compared to gasoline," and there is also, "an 80% reduction in carbon monoxide." To learn more, continue reading about the eco-friendly advantages of propane.
Increased Productivity
Landscape contractors are finding that their employees can get more run-time out of a cylinder of propane than a tank of gas. Mowers can also be purchased with dual cylinders for even longer performance. The longer each tank lasts, the fewer times employees have to stop and refuel, saving hours and even days multiplied over many crews throughout the year. With less time in the shop for scheduled maintenance, propane-fueled mowers will also keep you running more days every month.
Feehan of PERC also talked about the importance of propane availability as an aspect of choosing a propane-fueled mower. "The established forklift refueling infrastructure is the same business model that is being directly applied to commercial mower market," he explained. "There are more than 600,000 propane-fueled forklifts in operation every day, and propane is provided to meet just-in-time inventory as often as needed, either through cylinder exchange or on-site propane refueling ."
Government Incentives
There are currently many government incentives for operating propane-fueled machinery. PERC is partnering with states to offer a program designed to help offset incremental costs for purchasing propane-powered equipment. This program, called the Commercial Mower Purchase/Placement Data Collection program, also assists in safety and training initiatives. A dollar match of up to $2,500 for new propane-powered mowers can be qualified for through participating state propane gas associations. Dollar matching can also be granted for the conversion of existing commercial mowing equipment of up to $1,500. Participants of this program agree to provide quarterly data reports for twelve months following equipment purchase including hours of use, gallons of propane used, and performance characteristics.
Additionally, there are numerous federal incentives available such as tax credits of $0.50 per gallon applicable for 2010 and 2011, bonus depreciation through 2012, and accelerated small business expensing. Read more details about these propane tax incentives or contact your tax professional for more information.
Find out if there is a locally owned and operated location near you to get started with your commercial lawn mower propane exchange service. Both vapor and liquid cylinders are offered through this service to best fit your needs.
Still have questions? We have answers. Contact us today about lawn mower propane cylinder exchange and all of the other services we offer.