The PERC Update: Lessons Learned About Electric Grid Reliability One Year After Winter Storm Uri
PODCAST: Lessons Learned from Uri Grid Failure In this newest episode of the Path to Zero podcast, PERC President and CEO Tucker Perkins invites Wall Street Journal reporter Elizabeth Findell to reflect on the one-year anniversary of devastating Winter Storm Uri, which brought record cold and ice to the southwest and caused the Texas electric grid to fail. Her reporting during the crisis shined a light on the human suffering and fight for survival Texans experienced.
Social Influencer Credits Propane for Surviving Uri Jennifer Borget, an award-winning blogger, digital content creator and mother of three, is one of several social media influencers partnering with PERC to tell the story of how propane fits into her inspiring and creative lifestyle. This week, the Texan completed 28 interviews in a national satellite media tour recounting propane’s vital role in her family’s survival of deadly Winter Storm Uri one year ago this month. The interviews represented media markets including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Miami and Washington D.C.
Fundamentals of Propane Liquid Transfer Safety Course Now Available PERC’s newest safety curriculum, which covers the transfer of liquid propane from one container to another, is now available under the Safety & Technical Training tab in The Learning Center on propane.com.
Titled Fundamentals of Propane Liquid Transfer, the six video modules provide an overview of liquid transfer equipment, how the equipment operates, and how individual components relate to each other. An illustrated workbook for trainees to follow while taking the course accompanies the program. “This is the first time this specific education material is available to our industry,” notes Eric Kuster, PERC’s vice president of safety, training, and compliance. “It fills a void in providing critical guidance for the diagnosis and troubleshooting of common liquid transfer systems used at bulk plants and for loading bobtails.”
Marketer Spotlight: Dan Richardson, Conger Gas Partnering with tankless water heater manufacturer Rinnai and homebuilders in Georgia is paying big dividends for propane marketer Conger LP Gas. According to company President and CEO Dan Richardson, more than 70 percent of his new customers are from new home construction or conversions of electric tank water heaters.
National Education & Training Conference March 1-2 Last call to attend the industry’s premier propane training conference. The two-day, in-person conference is being held March 1-2 at the Westin Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. The conference includes general sessions each day as well as tracks and sessions on specific topics including safety and regulatory compliance, marketer sales, and technical training, allowing attendees to set an agenda that is most relevant to them. Sessions will be led by knowledgeable PERC staff and industry leaders. If you haven’t already, register now and review the conference agenda and speaker bios. Cost is $99.
Marketer Math: In the Numbers with Propane, Electricity When customers ask about the cost difference between electricity and propane, providing an accurate difference can be challenging. Calculating the cost of using one energy source over the other can involve many factors, but there is a way to simplify the comparison and quantify the difference in general. Available in the Market and Industry Training section of The Learning Center, this downloadable interactive toolkit focuses on how to calculate the cost difference between electricity and propane and prepare for conversations with customers and partners. After completing this guide, watch the video called The Competitor Series: Electricity to hear strategies for competing in the market against electricity.
Keep Your Customers Informed, Safe on the Job Site As construction crews remain in high demand, make sure you’re taking the time to remind your customers about the benefits of propane for their job sites and how to safely use propane. PERC has a number of safety tips and resources, including the Propane On Job Sites fact sheet, that you can share with your construction professional contacts and encourage them to pass along to their crews. In addition to sharing safety information with your customers, you could also offer to visit their job sites and help educate their crews on how to safely use propane equipment.
