I didn’t have any flight delays unlike Chuck and Cindy, however, my posts on the 2007 Propane Technology Forum were delayed due the strict security of the internet I was accessing at the conference. I am back at my hotel now, online now with full access. Here’s the first of many posts to come… Cutting-edge innovation and environmentally friendly applications …
Pairing Propane and Power
Some of the latest propane technology pairs propane with solar power to offer hybrid electricity generation systems. Stuart Weidie, Chairman of the PERC Research and Development Advisory Committee, says experts are looking at coupling propane with more than just solar energy though. I spoke with Stuart about the various opportunities his panel has been researching in combined heat and power …
Roush F-150 Burns Propane Fuel
Chuck has already posted information on the innovative use of propane as motor fuel from Roush Manufacturing, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to interview Roush representative Tom Arnold myself. Not to mention the application of propane as motor fuel is certainly interesting enough to cover more than once. You can listen to my interview with Tom here: Roush_Tom.mp3
Putting the Heat on Cotton
Paul Funk is one of the experts at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum who has taken all the talk about innovative propane research a step further. Paul is a scientist with the USDA-Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory. He is among the first to put heat defoliation of cotton with propane into practice. Paul and I discussed what he’s encountered out …
Propane Heat Remediation Ideal for Organic Farmers
Paul Funk’s heat defoliation of cotton isn’t the only way propane-generated heat is being used. Temp-Air scientist Raj Hulasare says propane heat remediation is an ideal solution for treating bins, silos, and other storage vessels for pests. He adds that propane heat remediation is a particularly viable option for certified organic farms, which are restricted from using many chemicals to …
Pest Control with Propane
Several experts in the propane industry mentioned the innovative use of propane as an insecticide at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum, but Robert McGee with Texas A&M Agriculture Research is the expert whose presentation focused solely on propane’s capability to eliminate pests. In a brief interview, Robert and I reviewed the main idea of his presentation. You can listen to …
Propane Heat Sanitizes
Raj Hulasare with Temp-Air introduced the application of propane heat remediation at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum and Scientist Terry Smith with Mississippi State University has applied that concept to his research in dairy sanitation. Terry and I discussed how propane heat sanitation offers dairy producers a chemical-free option when maintaining the health of their dairy cows. You can listen …
Talking Propane
The Propane Technology Forum is underway here in Austin, TX. About 100 propane industry experts are on hand sharing ideas about the future of liquid petroleum gas. Industry leaders from across the U.S. are collaborating with other international experts from Mexico and France, focusing on the future of propane growth, marketing and innovation. It’s early in the day, but the …
Are You On The Factory Farm Map?
While I was attending the Cattle Industry Summer Conference someone said to me that one of the biggest dangers facing livestock producers in this country are the animal rights activists. I don’t know about you but it seems to me like they’re getting more aggressive and I guess fooling a lot of people out of their money in the process. …
Environmental Defense Ruminates on Farm Policy
The Environmental Defense group now has a farm policy blog called “The Ruminant.” It’s written by Scott Faber who manages the Healthy Farms, Healthy Food Campaign for Environmental Defense. The slogan for the site is “A daily update on the debates shaping the 2007 Farm Bill.” Thanks to Meg Little for bringing it to my attention. They also have a …