RNG NEWS
Upton to Try for Renewable Fuel Standard Reform in 2015, Aide Says
By Ari Natter: Bloomberg BNA
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, plans to take another stab at moving legislation that would alter the renewable fuel standard in 2015, a Republican committee aide said July 24.
While earlier committee efforts to modify the requirement stalled in 2013, the aide said expected litigation over the Environmental Protection Agency's yet-to-be-released blending requirements for 2014 would motivate stakeholders to “come to the table” and cooperate, the aide said.
10 Things You Need to Know For the Waste & Recycling Industry
By David Bodamer; Inside Waste360
- 39 facilities achieve zero waste-to-landfill “In 2013, Eaton reduced its landfilled wastes by about 18%, or 4,900 metric tons, as part of a global zero waste-to-landfill program. During World Environment Month in June, Eaton honoured 39 manufacturing facilities around the globe that achieved this milestone. Since 2010, these facilities have eliminated a combined total of 2,750 metric tons of waste sent to landfills through recycling, re-use, new work processes and other means.” (PBSIontheNet.net)
- Landfill gas facility to double its power “The Waste Management Columbia Ridge Landfill and Recycling Center, a landfill gas power plant south of Arlington, Oregon, will be doubling its capacity, enabling it to generate more power for Seattle businesses and homes that are 260 miles away. An estimated 2 million tons of garbage is handled by the landfill plant annually.” (Hydrogen Fuel News)
BioCNG, LLC Announces Award of BioCNG(TM) Vehicle Fuel System and Pipeline for Grand Junction, Colorado's Persigo WWTP
By Kay Turgeson; BioCNG
BioCNG, LLC announced that it has been selected to design and build a BioCNG™ biogas conditioning system and gas pipeline for the Persigo wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which is jointly owned by the City of Grand Junction and Mesa County, CO. The BioCNG system will produce about 500 gallons of gasoline equivalent per day from the WWTP digester gas, which will be piped about 6 miles to Grand Junction's existing compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. BioCNG will be supported locally by River City Consultants and other local vendors and sub-contractors.
Senators Want Investigation Of Oil Companies
Radio Podcast; WNAX 570
Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar want the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to look into alleged anticompetitive practices of oil companies.
The problem has a direct effect on the Renewable Fuel Standard debate and the volume requirements under review by EPA. - See more at: http://wnax.com/news/180081-rfa-pleased-senators-want-investigation-of-oil-companies/#sthash.7KhyDqU1.dpuf
The 5 Best And 5 Worst Utilities At Renewables and Efficiency: Ceres Rankings
By Jeff McMahon; Forbes
Utilities in states with progressive policies are leading sales of renewable energy and leading in savings from energy efficiency, according to a report released today by Ceres, a non-profit that seeks to mobilize leadership on clean energy.
And those companies may enjoy a head start on EPA’s draft carbon rules.
By Jeff McMahon; Forbes
Utilities in states with progressive policies are leading sales of renewable energy and leading in savings from energy efficiency, according to a report released today by Ceres, a non-profit that seeks to mobilize leadership on clean energy.
And those companies may enjoy a head start on EPA’s draft carbon rules.
Expanded Tax Credit Sought for Biogas Systems
By Brian Tumulty; Democrat & Chronicle
New York dairy farmers and yogurt producers would be eligible for an expanded federal tax credit to install energy-producing biogas systems under a proposal by Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer.
The proposal, which mirrors legislation introduced in the House last year, would expand the menu of eligible uses for a 30-percent federal investment tax credit for biodigesters.
LANDFILL GAS TO NATURAL GAS: Seneca Meadows’ officially opens new facility, the only one of its kind
By David Shaw; Finger Lakes Times
It’s a one-of-a-kind operation in the United States.
The Seneca Energy spread across the road from Seneca Meadows is the only one nationwide generating commercially sold natural gas and electricity created from methane and carbon dioxide produced by the decomposing trash buried at the landfill.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday for Seneca Energy II, a plant that converts landfill gas to natural gas.
The natural gas has been produced around the clock since March, except for a two-week shutdown, and is being added to three pipelines that take it across the country to California. There, it is sold to the Sacramento Municipal Utility. It’s also compressed for use as fuel in natural gas-burning vehicles in California.
Let's Put Our Waste To Work!
By Sustainable America; @foodfuelfuture
Think natural gas only comes from reserves of ancient fossils trapped deep underground? Think again. We’re actually sitting on a much-overlooked but plentiful source of natural gas here in America — and we don’t have to drill into the ground to get it.
Natural gas can be generated from waste, specifically food waste rotting in landfills, agricultural waste generated on farms, and wastewater at water treatment plants. We have the technology to convert all of these forms of waste into a renewable form of energy know as renewable natural gas (RNG), or biomethane. RNG can be used to power or fuel anything that already runs on natural gas with no retrofits or upgrades; it can cook your food, power our factories and fuel vehicles that run on natural gas. It can be blended with traditional natural gas and delivered through the same channels.
Advanced Biofuels: Suspended in Bureaucratic Animation
By Michael McAdams; Advanced Biofuels Association
For months the biofuels industry has focused on the EPA’s issuance of the 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO’s). Lobbying has been furious and consistent from all the various stakeholder groups that are impacted by the final numbers. It is expected that the final rule will be issued in mid to late September.
But, beyond the RVO numbers, not much has been said about this Administration’s inability to execute on its mandated task to review and approve new pathways under the RFS for feedstocks, technologies and types of fuels. Yes, indisputably, the various RVO numbers are important to the advanced and cellulosic industry; however, it is even more important for EPA to approve our companies for inclusion under the RFS program promptly.
Over the last four years, numerous advanced and cellulosic biofuel producers have applied for pathways under in the RFS program, which would allow them to compete on a level playing field with those already approved. As of this writing, 37 proposed pathways are pending final approval according to EPA’s website, and more are lining up to apply. By delaying these companies participation in the RFS, EPA has put them at risk in the short-term and removed potential sustainable gallons to be counted towards the RVO targets.
Gas Is Now Generating Electricity
By Linda Beaulieu; Montgomery Herald
Coffee grounds, eggshells, greasy paper towels and disposable diapers. All that stuff you can’t recycle that ends up buried in the Uwharrie Regional Landfill is getting a new, productive purpose - generating electricity.
Making use of the methane gas created by decomposing trash has always been part of the plan for Republic Services, rather than just flaring it off as has been done up to now. As of May 28, the methane has been used to generate electricity at the new Uwharrie Mountain Renewable Energy facility, across Landfill Road from the existing landfill and next to the old, unlined county landfill that is still producing methane many years after its closure.
The effort is a joint project of landfill operator Republic Services; facility operator DTE Biomass Energy, a division of Michigan-based DTE Energy; and Duke Energy Progress, which has a 15-year contract with DTE.