Landscaper Goes Greener with Propane Mowers
Since 2013, Liapis Landscape & Design has been running its lawnmower fleet on propane. To start, they converted 15 mowers and use an onsite 1,000-gallon dispensing station at their facility for easy fills. One key reason they switched was that propane is less expensive.
“The goal was to get more stable fuel pricing,” David Guy, Operations Manager, said.
To accomplish this, Liapis used EPA-certified propane conversion kits for their mowers. Additionally, they partnered with MetroLawn to handle the propane conversions.
“We grew about 40% in 2013 and our fuel costs stayed the same. That’s a huge savings.”
David Guy, Operations Manager for Liapis Landscape & Design
In addition to fuel savings, Guy also sees benefits from reduced maintenance and replacement costs. Notably, many of the engines the company converted to propane already had 1,500 hours on them, yet they required very little maintenance during the past mowing seasons.
“A few of the mowers had brand-new engines when we converted them, so I have some excellent data on whether the engines last longer.” Guy said.
Furthermore, Liapis worked with AmeriGas to supply propane. “They came out and did a site evaluation and talked everything through with us. As we discussed more, it started to make more and more sense,” Guy explains. “It was pretty seamless.”
Subsequently, AmeriGas installed the 1,000-gallon dispensing station, which makes it easy to fill the canisters, and to ensure safety, they also provided training so that employees know how to complete the process correctly.
“They handled everything—from training and tank certification to notifying the local fire departments about the onsite tank, all of the things that need to be kept up on,” he says.
“Switching over those 15 mowers reduced our company’s overall emissions by about 70%.”
David Guy, Operations Manager for Liapis Landscape & Design
After converting to propane, Liapis worked with Clean Fuels Ohio. This nonprofit helped the company gain media exposure for its switch to propane, which in turn boosted its marketing efforts.
“It turns out that just switching over those 15 mowers has reduced our company’s overall emissions by about 70%.” Guy marveled.
Guy emphasized that reduced costs matter even more than the marketing benefits. “We grew about 40% in 2013, and our fuel costs stayed the same. That’s a huge savings,” said Guy.
The Ohio Propane Gas Association helps companies adopt propane autogas more easily by offering rebates. The OPGA provides a $1,000 rebate for new vehicles or mowers, or for propane conversions.