January 18, 2013

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has recently qualified Ventrac’s 4500Z bi-fuel ready tractor for the Propane Mower Incentive Program. This incentive program gives eligible new owners of a 4500Z, equipped with a propane kit, a $1,000 incentive to use this propane powered compact tractor. In return, program participants are asked to report to PERC on the equipment's performance and usage for one operating season.

Ventrac is a unique addition to the PERC propane mower incentive program as it is the first compact tractor to be approved for the program. Ventrac is also the first propane powered tractor that does more than just mow. Ryan Steiner, Director of Engineering for Ventrac, says that “Over the last few years, there have been a number of manufacturers introducing propane powered mowers, as propane is one of the fastest growing alternative fuels in the US.” He adds, “Ventrac is proud to be the first manufacturer to give commercial users the opportunity to power over 30 different attachments with propane.”

PERC has been conducting research on propane and propane powered equipment since 1996 and has found that propane-fueled commercial mowers can offer lower operating cost, fewer emissions, proven performance, easy on-site refueling and less downtime.  Jeremy Wishart, Project Manager for PERC, says that,

“Propane is a domestic fuel and supply is at an all-time high, as propane is abundant in the natural gas deposits throughout the nation. Propane as an engine fuel in the lawn and landscape industry is beginning to become widely accepted.”  Wishart adds, “Products like the Ventrac 4500Z propane and others becoming available, combined with the economic and environmental factors facing lawn and landscape professionals today, it's not hard to imagine propane becoming the preferred fuel in the turf industry.”

Get details on PERC and the $1,000 incentive program at www.poweredbypropane.org.

For more information on the Ventrac 4500Z see www.ventrac.com/propane