LPG vs. Natural Gas – Which Is Better?

Finding a suitable form of energy for your home is easy. There are lots of choices available out there but in most cases, homeowners pick between natural gas and LPG. These two leading 

forms of fuel have their advantages but which one of them is better for your property?

Before we talk about which is better, let’s first discuss the key differences between natural gas and LPG.

What Is LPG?

LPG or liquefied petroleum gas is a mixture of a few hydrocarbon gasses. In most cases, Plus Gas says that the mixture includes propane, butane, and propylene. The majority of the mixture is propane. 

It’s very easy to source and is used to fuel gas for various purposes. This includes cooking, heating, and even powering vehicles. For the latter, LPG is called AutoGas.

What Is Natural Gas?

Natural gas is also a mixture of hydrocarbon gasses. The main gas composed of natural gas is methane. However, it can also include a small percentage of nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, helium, and carbon dioxide.

It has the same use as LPG. However, since LPG has a higher calorific value, it takes more natural gas to produce the same amount of energy as compared to LPG.

Which Is Better?

As a homeowner or even a business owner, you’d want to find the most cost-efficient source of energy possible. While both natural gas and LPG are readily available for you, picking one to meet your needs requires a more thorough comparison of the two.

• LPG vs. Natural Gas – Efficiency

This is one of the key defining factors that you need to look into. Which between LPG and natural gas is more efficient? To answer this question, it’s best to look at it from this perspective – which gas generates more heat for the same amount of fuel burned?

The energy content of LPG is 93.2 megajoules per cubic metre. On the other hand, natural gas contains around 38.7 megajoules per cubic metre. What these measurements mean is that you can produce more energy with the same amount of fuel using LPG. 

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You’ll actually generate over double the amount of energy with a 10 litre can of LPG compared to a 10 litre can of natural gas.

• LPG vs. Natural Gas – Price

From a broader perspective, natural gas is actually cheaper than LPG in Australia. That means if you’re looking at the price of natural gas alone.

However, you also need to consider the fact that natural gas requires extensive measures and maintenance to actually be usable in your home. You’ll also have to pay a daily fee once you’re connected to your local area’s gas network. Lastly, natural gas needs to be stored in cryogenic chambers which are costly and hard to maintain.

On the other hand, you can have LPG tanks delivered to your home quickly. In terms of maintenance, all you really need is a safe, dry, and isolated spot to store your LPG tank in and you’ll be good to go.

The prices for both natural gas and LPG gas fluctuate annually. Instead of looking at the prices of the gas itself, you should look at the maintenance required for both gasses. It’s safe to say that LPG is the cheaper choice between the two. This makes it especially more viable if you’re a business owner looking for a cheaper energy source for your property.

• LPG vs. Natural Gas – Sustainability

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, natural gas has a global warming potential or GWP of 28 – 36 over one hundred years. On the other hand, LPG has a GWP of zero. What this means is that LPG doesn’t contribute to global warming when used as burning fuel.

However, you should look beyond GWP to measure sustainability. Keep in mind that both LPG and natural gas require companies to mine deep into the ground. The process results in methane being pumped into the air which is not good for the environment as well.

In terms of how both gasses are sourced, neither LPG or natural gas are sustainable. However, since LPG has a GWP of 0, it clearly has a lower environmental footprint compared to natural gas.

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Which Is Better?

Judging by these metrics, it’s fairly obvious that LPG is the better alternative. The only real upside to natural gas is that you’ll be connected to the main supply so you don’t have to regularly worry about refilling your gas.

While natural gas is still a viable source of energy, you’ll be spending more just to keep up with it.

Whether it’s for your home or for a commercial property, LPG is the better choice. Shifting to LPG if you’re a natural gas user is easy. Just contact your local LPG supplier and they’ll help get you set up. You’ll be surprised at how easy and efficient LPG really is to have as a source of energy at home.