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Liquefied Petroleum Gas delivery

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Clean, low carbon energy for Ireland’s homes and businesses

From cooking and heating to transport fuel and industrial use, LPG does it all

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Calor and LPG

Calor has been supplying LPG to Irish homes and businesses for over 80 years for a range of applications including heating for homes, water heating, catering as well as a range of bespoke solutions for manufacturing processes.

LPG in brief

LPG installation

What is LPG?

LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas, a by-product from the processing of natural gas liquids and the refining of crude oil. LPG used to be burned off and wasted but is now valued globally as a versatile, clean, low carbon energy source. Calor gas is LPG. LPG starts life as a gas but changes to a liquid when cooled. This property means it can be easily stored in bulk tanks or portable cylinders to provide energy wherever needed. As the cleanest fossil fuel, LPG is a safe, convenient energy source that can be used in over a thousand different ways.

Propane or butane?

Liquefied Petroleum Gas is a blanket term for propane and butane gas. Often, propane (C3H8) and butane (C₄H₁₀) are mixed to get the best energy yields and combination of properties. The two are chemically quite similar but small differences in their properties mean each is best suited to specific tasks. Propane has a lower boiling point than butane at -42°C vs -0.4°, which makes propane a better choice for cold climates. Butane has a lower vapour pressure, which makes it an effective propellant.

Renewable fuel: BioLPG

Did you know Calor offers an even more sustainable energy than LPG? BioLPG is exclusively available in Ireland from Calor and is perfect for homes and businesses. Calor's BioLPG is made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials. A like-for-like replacement for LPG, it gives the same great performance and is used in the same way. All that changes is your carbon footprint. BioLPG is exclusively available in Ireland from Calor and is perfect for homes and businesses.

Where does LPG gas come from?

Propane and butane, which make up LPG gas, are naturally occurring gases. The majority of LPG is recovered during natural gas and oil extraction while the remaining 40% is a by-product of oil refining or made from waste or renewable vegetable oils. Twenty-five percent of Calor LPG comes from the Whitegate Refinery in Co Cork, with the remainder sourced within Europe. This means Calor’s LPG supply is not reliant on Middle Eastern or Russian imports.

LPG production process

LPG production process

  • Step 1 - LPG takes the form of gas at room temperature
  • Step 2 - It’s liquefied by applying moderate pressure
  • Step 3 - The liquefied petroleum gas is securely stored
  • Step 4 - Gas is distributed in bottles or tank refills
  • Step 5 - When liquefied LPG is released the pressure drops
  • Step 6 - The resultant gas fuels the appliance

What is LPG used for?

No gas pipeline? No problem! Calor LPG is used to provide reliable heating, hot water and fuel to thousands of off-grid homes and businesses throughout Ireland.

  • For hot water and heating
  • For manufacturing operations
  • For building and construction
  • Powering distilleries and breweries
  • Fueling cars, trucks and ships

Advantages of LPG

Why choose LPG for your home or business?

LPG brings the benefits of gas to homes and businesses where mains gas isn’t an option. It’s better for the environment than coal and oil, convenient and cheaper to install than electricity, oil and air source heat pumps.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) produces a hotter flame than other commonly-used fuels, making it up to five times more cost-efficient than other energy sources. LPG’s calorific value – a measure of heating power - is 93.2MJ/m3, meaning it has a higher energy content than natural gas, for example.
LPG is one of the few alternative energies available right now to heat rural homes and businesses without access to a mains gas pipeline. Easy to transport, LPG doesn’t need any infrastructure to support it, bringing heat and hot water to those living or working beyond the gas grid.
LPG has the lowest carbon emissions of all fossil fuels with 11.7% less CO2 per kWh than heating oil1. BioLPG – Calor’s 100% renewable fuel - is even better for the environment, with emissions-savings of up to 38%2. LPG emits virtually no soot or particulates that contribute to pollution and global warming.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has more than 1,000 uses. It’s used to provide heating and hot water for homes and businesses, fuel transport such as cars, trucks and ships, and power manufacturing processes especially those involving steaming, roasting, boiling, baking, smelting and annealing.
At current rates of consumption, global LPG reserves should last many decades.

Did you know?

In its natural state, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has no smell. So, an artificial odorant (usually ethyl mercaptan, which smells like rotten eggs) is added to make it easier to detect leaks! Some people to refer to the process of adding the odourant as “stenching”.

Frequently asked questions

Propane and butane are forms of LPG. They’re chemically similar but propane must be stored outdoors for safety. It’s typically used for central heating, cooking, fuel and commercial applications. Conversely, butane is best stored indoors as it doesn't work well in colder climates.

BioLPG is called a ‘drop-in’ fuel because it’s a completely interchangeable substitute for conventional LPG. No infrastructure changes are needed to household appliances or industrial machinery – you simply ‘drop it in’. It gives the same performance but can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 86%!1

1 Source: Compared with oil: BEIS 2021

Generally, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and propane mean the same thing. However, LPG can also contain butane and isobutane in addition to propane. In other words, propane and LPG are the same, but not all LPG is pure propane. Propane tends to work better than LPG in cold weather.