RNG NEWS
Could Renewable Natural Gas Be the Next Big Thing in Green Energy?
In the next few weeks, construction crews will begin building an anaerobic digester on the Goodrich Family Farm in western Vermont that will transform cow manure and locally sourced food waste into renewable natural gas (RNG), to be sent via pipeline to nearby Middlebury College and other customers willing to pay a premium for low-carbon energy.
For the developer, Vanguard Renewables, the project represents both a departure and a strategic bet. The firm already owns and operates five farm-based biogas systems in Massachusetts; each generates electricity on site that is sent to the grid and sold under the state’s net-metering law. The Vermont project, however, is Vanguard’s first foray into producing RNG — biogas that is refined, injected into natural gas pipelines as nearly pure methane, and then burned to make electricity, heat homes, or fuel vehicles.
By Johnathan Mingle, Yale Environment 360
Primoris Services to Partner with Engineering Firm OnQuest for Multi-Farm Biogas Collection
Primoris Services Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: PRIM) (“Primoris” or “Company”)today announced a new engineering award, secured by OnQuest, part of the Power, Industrial, & Engineering segment.
The award is for engineering, procurement, and construction management services for a renewable natural gas facility in the Midwestern United States.
By Oil & Gas
UK: Biogas Upgrading Can Fill Important Place in Climate Emergency Agenda
The world is far behind in the fight against climate change, and all actors, not just governments, need to play their part, especially the biogas industry, delegates to the World Biogas Summit in Birmingham, UK, heard this month.
Four years after countries pledged to limit global temperature rise to 2 C and strive for a safer 1.5 degree target, the planet is on a trajectory to 3.6 degrees warming based on a tally of the 183 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted to date from the signatories to the Paris Agreement.
By Canadian Biomass
Haldor Topsoe to Build a Methanol Plant Making Biogas Upgrading Cost Effective
Haldor Topsoe will build a 10 kilogram per hour methanol plant to demonstrate the company’s electrified and extremely compact eSMR Methanol technology for cost-competitive production of sustainable methanol from biogas.
The eSMR Methanol technology exploits the full carbon potential of biogas by utilizing the 40 percent CO2content which is routinely separated and vented today. The technology heats the process using green electricity from wind turbines or solar panels instead of natural gas.
The demonstration plant will be located at Aarhus University’s research facility in Foulum, Denmark, and receives funding from EUDP – Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program.
By Haldor Topsoe, Biomass Magazine
Clean Energy Fuels Grows RNG Infrastructure
Clean Energy Fuels has come a long way since it bought its first landfill gas production facility in Texas and began distributing via the pipeline to California. With 530 fueling stations that are able to distribute renewable natural gas (RNG), it delivered 110 million gallons of biofuel in 2018 and claims to command 53 percent of the RNG market in the U.S.
“In the beginning [2008], we were delivering into a long-term fixed price market under the California Renewable Portfolio Standard to utilities. From there, we saw opportunity to deliver gas to the vehicle fuel market,” says Sahar Kamali, director of business development for Clean Energy Renewables. “Now, we have 50 customers around the country contracted to receive our Redeem brand of renewable RNG, with waste companies being one of our largest markets. But we sell to transit agencies, municipalities and national trucking companies.”
By Arlene Karidis, Waste 360
A Conversation with Vanguard Renewables on Pioneering Food Waste Recycling
In the latest episode of our NothingWasted! Podcast, we chat with John Hanselman, CEO of Vanguard Renewables, which combines food-based organic waste and farm manure for the environmentally sustainable production of renewable energy and other valuable byproducts.
We spoke with him about the power of partnerships, education and more.
By Liz Bothwell, Waste 360
Bright Biomethane North America to Supply RNG Projects in New York
Bright Biomethane North America, which was recently established, announced that its first renewable natural gas (RNG) projects will be realized in New York. According to the company, these will be the first RNG projects on the East Coast with high-efficient 3-step membrane separation technology, and some of the first in the U.S. to use this technology.
Bright Biomethane’s 3-step membrane technology ensures high biomethane quality and CH4 (methane) recovery of at least 99.5 percent, with a methane loss of 0.5 percent.
By Waste 360
LA Metro Repowers Slew of CNG Transit Buses
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) recently completed an engine retrofit project to reduce emissions on a significant number of its fleet of more than 2,200 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.
Metro repowered 125 of its transit buses with the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero and L9N heavy-duty natural gas engines, which are expected to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 90% and greenhouse gases by 9%.
By NGT News
Kinetrex Energy Launches Greenhouse Gas Fleet Emissions Calculator
Kinetrex Energy released a new online GHG emissions calculator today that makes it simple for fleet managers to measure their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a first step in creating a more “greener” vehicle fleet. Users enter the number of gallons of diesel fuel their fleet consumes annually and the calculator automatically provides a “greenhouse gas accounting.”
“It’s now common knowledge that natural gas vehicles, particularly those running on renewable natural gas, are the cleanest practical alternative fuel transportation technology available today,” said Aaron Johnson, CEO of Kinetrex Energy. “Our new greenhouse gas emissions calculator will indicate just how much cleaner your fleet can be by using Kinetrex fuel.”
By Kinetrex Energy
SoCalGas Celebrates Opening of New LEED-Certified Regional Base in Bakersfield
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening of a new net-zero energy building which will serve as its regional base. The building earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for its environmental benefits, which include a photovoltaic solar energy system, storm water management, drought-resistant and climate-appropriate landscaping, the use of natural lighting for the wellness of employees and a super energy-efficient air conditioning system power by natural gas instead of electricity. Photos of the ribbon cutting ceremony are available here.
The 31,000 square-foot building is located at 35118 McMurtrey Avenue in Bakersfield near the connection of Highways 99 and 65. It includes an employee training facility and customer demonstration center, plus a separate storage building, garage, photovoltaic solar energy system and compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station for company and public use. Opening in the fall, the CNG station will make it easier for truck drivers to fuel up with clean natural gas instead of diesel. SoCalGas plans to dispense 100 percent renewable natural gas at the fueling station when it opens.
By Market Screener