RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Greenlane Biogas Secures Order for Biogas Upgrading Plant
Burnaby, BC – Greenlane Biogas has received an order for a ‘Rimu’ biogas upgrading plant from Sifang Leo Livestock Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (SF LEO), a leading dairy farm engineering company and manufacturer of high-tech livestock equipment and farm machinery in China. Greenlane’s water scrubbing based biogas upgrading plant will be used in an eco-dairy farm demonstration operation to convert organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG).
The dairy farm being used for the demonstration operation is located at SF LEO’s 300 acre Shahe Agricultural Park in Dingzhou, China, a city in the Southwest of Hebei province. Digesters will be fed cow manure and crop straw to generate biogas. The ‘Rimu’ plant will upgrade the biogas at a rate between 250 and 800 cubic metres per hour to produce compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel natural gas vehicles (NGV).
This will be the first venture in RNG production for SF LEO, which has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hebei provincial government to develop 30 agricultural waste to RNG projects over the next five years.
USTDA Advances Development of Biogas and Solar Power at Brazilian Landfills
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
August 17 - Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency provided a grant to Solví Valorização Energética for the development of a suite of landfill energy projects in the Brazilian states of Bahia, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. The study will develop plans for the generation of onsite power through the harvesting of methane gas at four landfill sites, as well as a solar energy system at a fifth site.
“USTDA is pleased to support Solví’s efforts to expand its renewable energy portfolio through new biogas and solar power projects at its landfills,” said USTDA Regional Director Nathan Younge. “The study will present U.S. companies with an excellent opportunity to introduce new technology solutions for the management of urban waste and the sustainable production of electrical energy across Brazil.”
“Solví looks forward to strengthening its partnership with USTDA,” said Mr. Carlos Bezerra, Director of Solví Valorização Energética. “The study will play an important role in preparing a series of new sites for harvesting methane gas and capturing solar power, and the subsequent production of electrical energy.”
Scott Walker calls for phase-out of renewable fuel standard ‘over time’
By David Sherfinski, The Washington Times
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker called for a gradual phase-out of a federal mandate that has boosted Iowa’s corn market, saying market access should eventually make such a standard unnecessary.
“In my state, for example, when I ran — we don’t have an ethanol mandate. I was asked about an ethanol mandate; I didn’t support it,” Mr. Walker said during a question-and-answer session at the Iowa State Fair. “When I came here for an Ag summit earlier this year, I pointed out that it’s already in place, as you know. The tax subsidy’s gone, but the renewable fuel standard’s still in place.”
The Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, has required corn-based ethanol to be blended into almost every gallon of gas in the U.S. The issue has divided the 2016 GOP field, with candidates having to balance any advocacy for the unwinding of a federal mandate with the risk of potentially turning off influential voters in Iowa, home of the first-in-the-nation caucuses.
How to speak like a Capitol insider
By Jeremy White & Alexei Koseff, Sacramento Bee.
To those unaccustomed to the inside baseball of policymaking, politicians can sometimes seem like they speak a different language.
But fear not! With lawmakers returning from a summer recess Monday, this legislative dictionary will help you decipher how California Capitol creatures conduct business.
Gut and amend: To hollow out an existing bill and fill it with new language. A good way to sneak in new (or old, previously defeated) bills late in a session.
Hijack: To insert an existing policy proposal into a new bill. For example, transplanting a Republican idea into Democratic legislation and claiming ownership.
Interim study: A common tactic to kill bills without the messiness of a vote. Rather than vote an idea down, legislators decide to study it more – after the session ends.
Suspense file: Holding place for legislation that will cost more than a certain amount of money. Many bills never make it off the Appropriations Committee suspense file. Another useful way to let a bill quietly die.
Trucking with better fuel economy, lower emissions: Guest commentary
By Larry Metter, Waste Management.
Undoubtedly, at some point in your day, you pass by a Waste Management truck, perhaps collecting recycling in your neighborhood or driving down one of California’s highways. What you may not know is that the Waste Management fleet is one of the greenest on the road, having committed early to reducing carbon emissions and then achieving those goals well ahead of schedule. That’s why we support the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently proposed phase 2 greenhouse gas reduction rule to cut carbon pollution and increase the fuel efficiency of medium and heavy-duty trucks. We can speak from experience: these standards are tough yet achievable with our strategy to convert our fleet to natural gas.
Our mission is to leave the planet to future generations in better shape than we received it. In 2007, Waste Management identified a set of sustainability goals, including reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our company fleet 15 percent by 2020. We exceeded that benchmark in 2011 when we reduced fleet emissions by over 20 percent. How? Through our steady conversion to a fleet comprising cleaner-burning, natural gas-fueled vehicles.
Turning cow poo into power is profitable for US farm
By Mira Oberman, France-Presse.
For most farms, manure is a pungent problem. At Homestead Dairy, it smells like money.
The family-run American farm invested in a biogas recovery system which transforms cow poo and other waste into electricity.
Enough electricity, in fact, to power 1,000 homes, a service which the local utility company pays for handsomely.
Greenhouse looks to capture carbon dioxide from landfill gas in Canada
By The Delta Optimist
Village Farms International will have a feasibility study done on capturing and using carbon dioxide from Vancouver Landfill’s gas.
The East Ladner greenhouse received funding this spring for the study, which will be conducted by Hallbar Consulting, a local sustainability consultancy firm, in partnership with the Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering.
The project has received support through the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. as part of adaptation funding provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The B.C. Greenhouse Growers’ Association, B.C. Food Processors Association and Air Liquide have also provided financial and in-kind supportive services.
Tucson Electric Power to be supplemented by renewable landfill gas
By Tucson News Now Staff
Tucson Electric Power said it will stop using coal at its largest local power plant and will switch over to mainly natural gas.
TEP said the move is part of its plan to "diversify the resources it relies on to provide safe, reliable and affordable service."
The coal inventory at the H. Wilson Sundt Generating Station is expected to be depleted Aug. 13. Instead of coal, the multi-fuel unit will now rely primarily on natural gas, supplemented by renewable landfill gas and solar.
Read related articles: Tucson Electric makes historic change from coal to natural gas...; TEP to End Use of Coal, Switch Primarily to Natural Gas at Tucson Power Plant...
Waste heat from biogas system to heat C&D facility in Wisconsin
By Katie Fletcher, Biomass Magazine
Since ground break in late June, progress has been made on a construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility addition to the Dane County, Wisconsin, landfill site. The foundation is in place, the walls are going up and the equipment is ordered.
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the project is on track, on time and under budget, so everyone is very pleased. “We have the equipment ordered, and they’re beginning to fabricate that so we’re on time and on schedule and we’re looking forward to being able to get started.”
Parisi added that at the landfill, “We are always looking for ways to conserve the environment and look at recycling renewable energy, lessening our impact on the environment while at the same time being good stewards of tax dollars.”
Peel, Ontario Region now shipping organics to Elmira biogas plant
By Solid Waste & Recycling.
The Region of Peel has begun shipping quantities of curbside SSO material for processing at the Bio-En Power Inc. facility in Elmira, Ont.
The biogas power generation company distributed a photograph (shown at side) of a walking floor load being discharged into the receiving pit inside the Elmira plant.
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