RNG Coalition & Clean Energy Speak to the Benefits of RNG in GreenBiz

Across the United States and Canada, interest is accelerating in the potential for renewable natural gas (RNG), otherwise known as biomethane, to decrease transportation fleet emissions. RNG generates further interest for its potentially lower price point than competing fuels, as well as minimal friction to incorporate into existing operations. Yet, concerns with RNG’s emissions and supply security remain.

According to industry leaders, the findings are clear. "Renewable natural gas can be used in nearly every application that gasoline and diesel vehicles can be. ... Operationally, there is no limit," noted Ashley White, director and head of corporate sustainability of Clean Energy Fuels, which sells RNG.

By Gregory Heilers, GreenBiz

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RNG is Heating Homes in the UK, Supplying 10 Million UK Homes by 2050

Biomethane is big news lately. In the United Kingdom, a reported 1 million homes are now using what they call “green gas” from farm and food waste for heating and cooking. There are 60 biomethane plants now in the UK, according to The Guardian. And according to the Green Gas Certification Scheme, the number of homes supplied with green gas has leapt 13-fold since 2017. Campaigners say it could supply as many as 10m UK homes by 2050.

The anaerobic digestion of food leftovers could cover a third of the gas or power demand in the UKand create 35,000 new jobs, according to the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA).

But it goes beyond the UK. Beyond Europe. Beyond the cow.

By Helena Tavares Kennedy, Biofuels Digest

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Canadian NGV Market Poised for Expansion

Canada’s natural gas vehicle market has been relatively slow to develop but that may be about to change. Canada is well endowed with 300 years of natural gas reserves and is the home of leading NGV technology and dedicated NGV proponents. A new Natural Gas Solutions document from Canadian Gas Association and advocacy and leadership from the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance are raising awareness of natural gas as a potential major contributor to the nation’s environmental objectives.

Canada is the world’s fifth-largest producer of natural gas. However, as stated by Forbes, “In this booming age of natural gas, high-resourced Canada has seen flat production and demand over the past decade”. Its natural gas market is heavily integrated with those of the U.S. largely due to the location of supply basins, demand centres, and the availability of transportation infrastructure, as well as existing Canada – U.S. trade agreements. The Government of Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) reports that natural gas exports from all Canadian sources in 2018 declined by 6% compared to 2017, with almost all of that gas going across the border. Furthermore, NEB predicts that southern market to become “negligible” by 2040. This situation lends impetus to explore new export markets by way of shipped LNG, but also to look at ways to stimulate domestic consumption.

By NGV Global News

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University Partners with Center for Sustainable Energy for Green Energy Research

Sustainable energy research will be accelerated though a partnership between Stony Brook University and the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) that will support, foster and accelerate cutting-edge research being conducted in Stony Brook’s Research & Development Park. A memorandum of understanding signed by both parties will also work to secure additional funding for projects and assess the regional and global commercial potential of clean energy strategies that contribute to the U.S. transition to a low-carbon economy.

The collaboration combines the research and development expertise of Stony Brook University’s Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) and Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) with the market transformation and program management experience of the CSE. CSE efforts will focus on fostering research that transitions to low carbon technologies, provide energy technology gap analysis, incorporate workforce training and education, and seek global R&D collaborations.

By Stony Brook University News

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Bluesource Named Energy Excellence Awards Champion for Methane Reduction Solution

The Daily Oil Bulletin’s first annual Energy Excellence Awards were held in Calgary on Thursday, May 2. Awards were handed out in 12 categories under the banners of Operational and Project Excellence, Innovation and Research Excellence, and Exporting Excellence. 

Over the next two weeks we will be profiling the champions in each of the 12 subcategories. Today’s instalment profiles the champion in the category Operational Excellence: Industry Accelerator.

Click here to read about all of the champions and finalists.

By JWN

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Republic Services' Solution to the California 'Organics Challenge'

One special piece of equipment may be handling less material amid the high-volume bustle of Republic Services' large waste and recycling operation in Anaheim, California, but it's still seen as equally important for the company's local operations. Slowly but surely, this unit is helping make California's food waste recycling quest a reality.

The Mega Thor Turbo Separator is capable of processing up to 20 tons of source-separated organic waste per hour. Taking up a relatively small footprint on the tip floor, the unit sends material through a horizontal process, relying on a rotating set of hammer-like paddles that press and push it through screens. An estimated 5-10% of all incoming loads is contamination, so bags, utensils and more get shot out into a container for eventual disposal. The final product from this whole operation, which comes out with an oatmeal consistency, is compost-ready. 

By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive

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Court: EPA Must Review Landfill Emissions Plans After Years of Delay

Dive Brief:

  • The EPA has been required by a federal judge in California to move forward on implementation of 2016 Emission Guidelines for landfills. Per the ruling, the agency must now review compliance plans from the five states that have submitted them by Sept. 6 and set forth a federal plan by Nov. 6. 

  • The judge did not rule on when or how EPA should review future plan submissions from the remaining states, given that its jurisdiction is "limited to compelling EPA to perform mandatory duties it has already failed to perform." The agency's previously proposed submission deadline is Aug. 29.

By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive

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EPA Delivers Proposed Rule with 2020 RVOs, ‘Other Changes’ to OMB

The U.S. EPA has delivered a proposed rule to set 2020 renewable blending obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The proposed rule also includes the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel and “other changes” to the RFS program. OMB review marks a final step before a proposed rule is released for public comment.

Information posted to the OMB website shows the proposed rule was delivered on May 6. The posting, however, does not include any additional information on what “other changes” to the RFS program the rulemaking might include.

By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine

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Take-Aways on RNG Investment from The Climate Change Investing Roundtable

Last week, the New York chapter of the Turnaround Management Association invited me and four other industry professionals to participate in a panel discussion exploring climate change investing opportunities.

I came away from the discussion energized and with my eyes opened to several promising areas for potential investment. I also learned some interesting things about the legal and regulatory environment and got insight into how a bond expert views the risks of climate change.

By Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes

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Clean Energy Zero Now Will Fuel 250 Heavy-duty Trucks with Redeem RNG

The demand for clean, cost-effective renewable natural gas (RNG) as a transportation fuel continues to rise as Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) announced it has reached agreement with trucking firms to lease or purchase more than 250 new heavy-duty trucks, fueled by its Redeem™ RNG.

Clean Energy’s Zero Now program makes the cost of leasing or purchasing a new natural gas heavy-duty truck equal to the price or even lower than that of the same truck equipped with a diesel engine. In addition, truck fleets financed or purchased through Zero Now will be able to purchase Redeem fuel with a fixed discount to diesel at a significant spread.

By Business Wire

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