That Blend Wall Buster, renewable natural gas: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide
By Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest.
If the outlook on cellulosic biofuels is relatively bullish in 2015 compared to 2014 — Last year, there were 33.0 million RINs generated for cellulosic biofuels; this year 36.9 million RINs and we’re only in summer — credit Renewable Compressed or Liquified Natural Gas — last year 32.6 million RINs in all, and 95% of the volume for this year.
It all got underway just a while ago, when the EPA approved a rule that allows LNG and CNG produced from biogas to qualify as cellulosic biofuel along with biogas-powered electricity for electric vehicles. Other rules including those relating to the use of crop residue as feedstock as well as smaller refineries were released.
Why a blend wall buster? Right now, there’s more CNG demand than renewable CNG or LNG supply, and there’s no change in vehicle design or fueling infrastructure to deliver renewable gas than fossil. It’s a drop-in replacement.
Based on this presentation from EcoEngineers, which advises on RINs and renewable natural gas projects, here’s a look at “busting the blend wall” via renewable natural gas. More about EcoEngineers, here at their website and here in our story “Biogas! The Cellulosic Fuel Breakthrough?”