3-minute read

• Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, necessitating a multifaceted approach to energy solutions.
• While renewable energy sources are important, a balanced approach that incorporates existing infrastructure like propane is crucial for reliability and affordability.
• Propane offers a resilient energy source independent of the electric grid, vital during emergencies and grid failures.
• Overreliance on a single energy system could strain affordability and reliability as energy demands increase.
• A practical, collaborative approach involving businesses, government, and researchers is needed to build a resilient and accessible energy future.

There is no doubt that our climate is changing. The frequency and severity of extreme weather events impacting local communities across the country have increased dramatically. According to the American Red Cross, the number of billion-dollar disaster response events in the last decade has grown five-fold compared to the 1980s. While one factor impacting climate change is our reliance on high carbon intensity energy, the path forward cannot be reduced to a simple choice between fossil fuels and full electrification.

Over recent decades, society has made major strides in energy efficiency — from appliances to building construction — and we’ve seen innovation across energy production and delivery that has lowered the cost and carbon footprint of traditional fuels. Meanwhile, renewable energy technologies have advanced rapidly, offering even cleaner energy options. Yet, despite this progress, the national debate around climate change solutions and energy policy has become increasingly polarized. The narrative has become a binary one: stick with fossil fuels or embrace full electrification.

This false choice is both misleading and counterproductive. What society truly needs is affordable, reliable, low carbon-intensity energy that is available on-demand — and this need is growing more urgent by the day.

As a leader in an energy business that has delivered on-demand fuel to local communities for nearly a century, I’ve seen firsthand how energy demand shifts — especially for heating — and how critical it is to have access to energy when and where it’s needed. I’ve also witnessed the hardship that follows when that access is lost. In just the past year, devastating wildfires, hurricanes and historic floods have left families without homes, power or safety. These events have a very human cost: lives lost, livelihoods disrupted and communities forever changed.

In times of crisis, our electric grid — though essential — has shown its vulnerabilities. When the grid fails, people suffer. And increasingly, it does fail under pressure. That’s why energy resilience must be treated as a core pillar of our energy future, alongside sustainability and affordability. We cannot ignore the need for redundancy, flexibility and accessibility in our energy systems.

Propane can help fill gaps in demand for energy

Propane is one often-overlooked solution that can play a vital role in filling that gap. It’s a reliable, clean-burning energy source used by millions of Americans every day. Because of its portable infrastructure and availability, propane is one of the most accessible on-demand energy sources. When the grid goes down — whether from wildfire, hurricane, or ice storm — propane-powered generators keep critical services operational. During recent flooding in the southeast, propane helped restore power, feed displaced families and heat emergency shelters.

Importantly, propane operates independently of the electric grid. As a distributed energy source, it provides communities with a resilient backup that can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively. This kind of infrastructure matters — not just for disaster response, but for long-term energy planning.

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We have to manage the shift to renewables through economic reality

We also have to recognize that the transition to lower carbon alternatives must be grounded in economic reality. Millions of Americans live with energy insecurity, where fluctuating costs force impossible choices — like heating their homes or feeding their families. As demand for electricity is projected to rise by 55% in the next two decades — driven in part by the growth of AI and data centers — overreliance on a single energy system could raise costs and strain reliability.

Abandoning existing infrastructure before new systems are fully viable will only add to the financial burden on vulnerable communities. A resilient energy future cannot afford to be ideological—it must be practical.

It’s time to move beyond the binary. The future of energy is not either-or — it’s both-and. Yes, we must reduce emissions. Yes, we must invest in renewables. But we must also prioritize resilience, affordability and access. Propane is one tool — among many — that can help us meet those goals today, not just years down the road.

The climate will continue to change. Our response must be bold, but also thoughtful. Real progress will come not through rigid mandates, but through collaboration — between businesses, government and researchers — to innovate, bring down costs, expand access and protect people.

Let’s move beyond the binary and build an energy future that truly works—for everyone.

Michael Stivala is president and CEO of Suburban Propane.