RNG NEWS
A Rare Bipartisan Clean Energy Bill Is Ready for Passage
By Maria Gallucci, InsideClimate News.
Congressional lawmakers from both parties are taking a step to catalyze the nation's clean energy economy: After 32 years of restricting a crucial investment tool to expanding fossil fuels, they're pushing to open it to renewables.
Legislation is moving through both houses to tweak the tax code to let clean energy developers form a master limited partnership, or MLP, a type of publicly traded company structure not subject to corporate taxes.
New Biogas rules in the Renewable Fuel Standards
By: Edward Dodge, Breaking Energy.
The EPA recently announced changes to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) that improves opportunities for biogas to be utilized as a vehicular fuel by qualifying it as an advanced cellulosic biofuel.
Biogas-derived Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) produced from landfills, municipal waste-water treatment facility digesters, agricultural digesters, and separated MSW digesters all now qualify under the RFS. Additionally, electricity used to power electric vehicles produced from the same sources also qualifies as advanced cellulosic biofuel.
These pathways have the potential to provide notable volumes of cellulosic biofuel eligible for the RFS program and should be a factor in recent discussions to lower RFS fuel volume mandates. Significant volumes of advanced biofuels are already being generated from biogas, and in many cases this same fuel will now qualify for cellulosic RINs. As of 2014 the volumes of starch based (corn) ethanol RINs are capped under the RFS and expanding volumes of fuels are all prescribed to be cellulosic in origin, and can now be met with biomethane.
White House Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions & Biogas Roadmap
By United States Department of Agriculture
In March, the White House released a Climate Action Plan Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions and help provide greater incentives to spur the creation of more cost-effective biogas energy technologies. This included a Biogas Roadmap, a voluntary strategy created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency for the agriculture sector to reduce methane emissions.
The Biogas Opportunities Roadmap builds on progress made to date to identify voluntary actions that can be taken to reduce methane emissions through the use of biogas systems and outlines strategies to overcome barriers limiting further expansion and development of a robust biogas industry in the United States. Biogas is a proven source of energy used in the United States and around the world for decades. As such, biogas systems can and should be an integral part of America's energy strategy moving forward.
EPA Looks to Reduce Methane Emissions from Landfills
By Jeffrey Cappola: JD Supra Business Advisor
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the EPA is proposing to require certain landfills to capture extra landfill gas in order to decrease methane emissions. The new proposal would require landfills to increase their capture of methane and air toxics emissions by 13% by 2023, which would mean capturing two-thirds of emissions.
Landmark Legislation Promotes Massachusetts Heating and Cooling with Renewable Fuels
Boston, Massachusetts
Advocates for renewable thermal energy are celebrating today as Massachusetts is poised to become one of a few select states in the country to sign into law comprehensive legislation to promote the use of clean, renewable fuels and technologies to heat and cool buildings. On the last day of the Massachusetts legislature’s formal session of 2014, the landmark legislation (S. 2214) was approved by the House and Senate and now awaits Governor Patrick’s signature.
"The passage of the renewable thermal bill will provide important financial incentives to people who choose to make the responsible choice of heating or cooling their home or business with renewable technologies such as solar heating, geothermal and air source heat pumps, and bio-fuels such as wood pellets, wood chips, renewable bio-oils, or renewable natural gas," said Charlie Niebling, public affairs consultant to New England Wood Pellet, who also chairs the Massachusetts Renewable Thermal Coalition, a group representing over 40 local businesses and regional trade associations. Lead coalition members include the Solar Energy Industries Association, the New England Geothermal Professionals Association, the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, the Geothermal Exchange Organization, the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, and the Biomass Thermal Energy Council.
While the bill provides for powerful new financial incentives, it does so without creating new spending. Instead, renewable heating and cooling technologies will now qualify for Alternative Energy Credits under the Commonwealth's existing Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS). Under the APS, retail electricity suppliers must purchase Alternative Energy Credits to off-set the energy they produce using non-renewable fuels such as heating oil, making electricity rates dependent in part on the number of available Alternative Energy Credits on the market. With more Alternative Energy Credits available from renewable heating systems, prices drop, and ultimately, so will rates for electricity.
According to Senator Barry Finegold, the bill's prime sponsor, "This bill is good for the environment, and it's good for rate payers. Enactment of the renewable thermal legislation will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand our clean energy portfolio, and bring us one step closer to realizing the goals set forth as part of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008."
"It's also good for jobs" said Jeffrey Hutchins, executive director of the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, representing woodland owners and forest industry professionals. "Advanced bio-fuel technologies such as efficient wood chip and wood pellet systems utilize a fuel that can be produced sustainably right here in Massachusetts. That means the potential for more production and manufacturing jobs, especially in rural areas of the state. There's a real economic benefit here."
"This is a win for Massachusetts and for renewables, including biogas-derived renewable natural gas," said David Cox, Director of Operations for the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. "When governments signal to the market that renewables are a priority in their state, supply of clean, green alternatives to fossil fuel is certain to follow."
Katherine Stainken of the Solar Energy Industries Association agrees. "We've seen interest in solar heating systems steadily increase in Massachusetts over the last decade, and with the new incentives and longer-term stability provided by this bill we expect to see companies that install these systems continue to expand their businesses and hire more people."
Speaking on the benefits of heat pump technology, Chris Williams of the New England Geothermal Professionals Associated added, "Heat pumps are a proven technology that can both heat and cool buildings with lower emissions compared to fossil fuels. This bill will increase the investment in and adoption of heat pumps by Massachusetts property owners creating local jobs, lowering fuel costs, and emissions."
The bill is expected to be signed by Governor Patrick within the next ten days. Once signed, it will go into effect on January 1, 2015. The Massachusetts Renewable Thermal Coalition welcomes support and involvement from anyone interested in promoting renewable heating and cooling technologies and fuels. Those interested are encouraged to visit the website to learn more: www.MassCleanHeatBill.org
EPA further delays renewable fuel compliance deadline
By Timothy Cama: The Hill
For the third time this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has pushed back the deadline for gasoline and diesel refiners to blend renewable fuels into their products.
The agency announced Thursday that the new deadline for companies to show they complied with the 2013 blending mandates will be 30 days after the EPA finalizes the 2014 mandate. The EPA is supposed to finalize volumes by November of the prior year for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), but it has still not done so for 2014’s level.
“This action is being taken because we are still working on the 2014 RFS final standards and we are taking the time to get them right,” the agency said in a statement. “We believe biofuels are an important part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy, helping to curb our dependence on foreign oil, cut carbon pollution, and create jobs.”
New York State to fund clean energy projects
By Jonathan D. Epstein: The Buffalo News - Business
State officials are seeking applications for up to $250 million to fund large-scale clean-energy generation projects – including wind farms, fuel cells, biomass and renewable biogas facilities, and upgrades to small or mid-sized hydropower operations – as part investments to promote renewable energy.
The funds will come from the ninth round of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Renewable Portfolio Standard program.
Sutherland Expands Environmental Practice with Addition of Two Partners
By Digital Journal
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP announced today that Jay Holloway and Liz Williamson have joined the firm’s Energy and Environmental Practice Group as partners in Washington, DC, expanding the firm’s services related to environmental regulations.
Sutherland’s leading Energy, Environmental and Commodities Practice Group includes more than 70 lawyers who act for crude oil, natural gas, LNG, electric power, electric cooperative, renewable and alternative energy, oil pipeline and nuclear energy clients. The practice expanded internationally in March of this year by combining with Arbis LLP in London and Geneva. Sutherland’s environmental lawyers advise clients on environmental regulation, compliance, transactional risk management and litigation.
ASU Energy Center to help improve life for Brazil's cat adores
Mountain Times
A community-based landfill gas project in Brazil piloted in 2009 by the Appalachian Energy Center located at Appalachian State University will soon become reality.
The gas will be used at an energy park that will be constructed adjacent to the landfill, where catadores (Brazilian waste pickers) will gather plastic and glass recyclables from the waste stream before they end up in the landfill, providing more profit for these workers.
Senators push to maintain RFS
By Jerry Hagstrom: Agweek
“We made our case that we believe that the levels they set send the wrong signals to the market,” Franken said.
But Franken said he emphasized that EPA’s plan to cut the volumetric requirement for biodiesel to 1.28 billion gallons would be particularly onerous because the industry produced almost 1.8 billion gallons last year.
Franken said the senators told Podesta the administration should retain higher standards because biofuels are domestically produced and create jobs. They also told him the oil industry’s arguments against higher levels of biofuels are wrong and that the oil industry is doing everything in its power to stop gas stations from selling biofuels.