A fuel price forecast published by the U.S. Energy Administration last month expects gasoline prices to average more than $2.75 per gallon in 2019 and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is reminding professional landscape contractors to prepare now for another cutting season with high gasoline prices.
“No contractors like to think about all the money their business has to expend just to purchase fuel and we certainly hear more complaints from contractors when gasoline prices start to approach that $3 per gallon mark when it turns from a nuisance to a cost that sometimes they financially can’t bear,” said Jeremy Wishart, director of off-road business development at PERC. “But contractors don’t have to feel helpless against the fuel price posted at their local gasoline filling station if they switch to mowers powered by propane, which consistently costs between 30 and 50 percent less per gallon than gasoline. That price margin only widens when gasoline prices rise like they’re going to do again next season.”
In addition to a lower price per gallon of fuel, contractors can usually lock in a set fuel price with their local propane supplier, so they pay the same rate for fuel all year long.
Whether contractors are ready to make the switch to propane or simply interested in learning more about propane-powered equipment in advance of the 2019 season, the propane council has resources available to inform and support their businesses in a variety of ways:
PERC’s propane mower cost calculator details for contractors how much they could be saving with propane. The calculator allows contractors to input operational data specific to their fleet, so the results are unique to each equipment fleet.
PERC’s Propane Mower Incentive program is available all year long. Contractors can receive $1,000 for every qualifying commercial propane mower purchase (up to 20 units) or $500 for each Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified conversion kit. For a limited time, PERC is offering an additional $500 for each propane mower (a total of $1,500) or conversion kit ($1,000) purchase through December 31, 2018. Contractors can qualify for the extra incentive by utilizing the special code 2018GIEPERC during application.
PERC’s equipment dealer locator helps contractors connect with a local resource who can also help them get in touch with a propane retailer. Equipment dealers listed on the free online locator tool are prescreened, so contractors know they are contacting a partner who not only sells propane mowers, but is knowledgeable about propane equipment, too.
For more information about how to combat high gasoline prices with propane equipment, please visit www.propane.com.
