RNG industry bands together in response to proposed 2018 RFS
By Marcus Gillette, Biomass Magazine.
As the predominate supplier of cellulosic biofuel to the Renewable Fuel Standard, renewable natural gas (RNG) is experiencing a growth rate unprecedented in the sector.
But when the U.S. EPA released its draft rule of the 2018 renewable volume obligation (RVO) in May and proposed to lower cellulosic biofuel demand, some onlookers forecasted doom and gloom.
Instead the opposite happened. Thanks in large part to a strong RNG industry response, and a favorable ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals in Americans for Clean Energy, the RNG market has remained strong and developers have continued to build.
The RNG industry is answering congress’s call for domestic fuel production to boost U.S. energy security. Communities throughout the country are converting their waste into renewable compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), literally fueling freight movement along our nation’s highways. RNG’s environmental merits compound its attractiveness. Cellulosic biofuels must achieve lifecycle benefits of 60 percent or greater compared to a diesel baseline.