RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Gov. Brown signs climate change bill to spur renewable energy, efficiency standards in CA
By Chris Megerian and Javier Panzar, Los Angeles Times.
Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed a pared-down climate change measure that will increase renewable energy generation and make buildings more energy efficient.
The legislation, SB 350 by Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), was amended to remove a third component that would have required reduced gasoline use on California roads. The battle over the controversial proposal dominated the closing weeks of the legislative session last month.
Despite ceding some ground in a tug-of-war with oil companies, Brown and De León have touted the remaining parts of the legislation as significant steps in California’s fight against climate change.
Energy Department Announces State Energy Program National Evaluation Results
Press Release, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
The Energy Department announced today the results of a major national evaluation during a typical year in the State Energy Program (SEP) operations, as well as during the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) period. The results reaffirm the Energy Department's long-standing commitment to drive economic development and reduce carbon emissions at the state level.
The purpose of the study was to develop independent key outcomes for program year 2008 and the ARRA time period from 2009–2013.
In surveying results from 2008, a year funded at $33 million, the study determined that for every SEP dollar spent, program participants received $4.50 in bill savings over the lifetime of the measures installed (at a 2.7% discount rate).
South Carolina's Wellford landfill adds new methane extraction wells
By Chris Lavender, GoUpstate.com.
Spartanburg County's gas-to-energy project at the landfill on Little Mountain Road in Wellford continues to expand.
Twenty-one new methane gas extraction wells were recently installed at the site, raising the total number of wells to 140.
In July 2011, the county collaborated with Milliken & Co. and Lockhart Power to launch the gas-to-energy project. The landfill releases about 1,000 standard cubic feet per minute of methane. The gas is routed to Milliken & Co. and Lockhart power and can produce about 61 million kilowatt hours of power annually.
Zimbabwe and The Netherlands teaming up to promote biogas projects and their benefits
By Obey Manayiti, NewsDay Zimbabwe.
The biogas project is jointly funded by Hives and Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and three government agencies from the Ministry of Energy and Agriculture and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
It is being implemented in Domboshava, Insiza, Buhera and Nharira.
Nyararai Madyangove from Chivhu, said the project has proved beneficial to his small-scale dairy farming project, where he needs power to chill milk. He said since the introduction of the biogas project two years ago he has made significant savings.
“It’s now two years since I got my biogas digester. I use it mainly for my dairy farming activities,” Madyangove said.
Pennsylvania amid listening stages before writing state's Clean Power Plan
By Brett Sholtis, The York Daily Record.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection took official comments from the energy industry, special interest groups and York County residents at a listening session Monday afternoon. The visit, chaired by the DEP secretary, John Quigley, is part of the agency's 14-stop listening tour of the state.
At issue is the federal Clean Power Plan, a bill aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions 32 percent by 2030. The DEP has until September 2016 to submit its proposal to the governor's office showing how Pennsylvania will meet the plan's requirements.
"We're in full listening mode, and will be until November," Quigley said in an interview. "Then we'll be picking up the pen."
Farms key to renewable energy development, feds say
By Tom Lutey, Missoulian
BILLINGS – Farms have always been hotbeds of invention, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is hoping that a needed spark for renewable energy development will come from agriculture.
“With all the great folks who live in rural America, we truly think we’re going to see some things that no one even thought of before,” said Lillian Salerno, USDA deputy undersecretary.
In Billings to kick off a three-day conference on energy, agriculture and forestry, Salerno said there are new programs, underutilized in Montana, to help farms and rural communities develop renewable energy. Namely, the new Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP.
Fortistar Expands Landfill Gas to Energy Portfolio
By Business Wire.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fortistar today announced that it acquired two landfill gas (LFG) to energy projects, expanding its landfill gas portfolio by 11 MW. The acquisitions from Green Gas Americas follow the closing last week of $150 million in financing for Fortistar’s LFG to energy portfolio.
“Fortistar has developed, invested in and manages an unparalleled portfolio of successful landfill gas to energy initiatives in the U.S. and Canada,” said Mark Comora, president of Fortistar. “Our experienced team and ability to forge strong relationships with partners and local communities has been the formula for this success.”
The two new projects are both operational; the 8 MW Pioneer Energy project, located in Birdsboro, PA, sells power to Constellation Energy under a long-term offtake agreement. The 3MW Port Charlotte Energy project, located in Punta Gorda, FL, sells power to Orlando Utilities Commission under a long-term contract. Fortistar will own and operate both projects.
Attempt to kill RFS fails in the Senate
By Fuels America.
An attempt today to gut America’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) – this country’s most successful policy reducing dependence on dirty foreign oil and combatting climate change – failed to gain traction in the Senate Banking Committee with a major rejection of 7-15 on an amendment proposed by Senator Toomey. The disastrous amendment would have eliminated a key part of the RFS and severely hurt Americans, promising to kill jobs, harm the environment, and increase our foreign oil dependence.
Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis issued the following statement, “It is no surprise that Senator Toomey’s amendment failed – it never had a chance of passing. Similar to legislation he has introduced before, it did not gain any traction and failed because this legislation only restricts consumer choice and attempts to dismantle a successful American industry that is creating jobs, improving our environment and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The simple fact is that the RFS has bipartisan support and it has been the most successful energy legislation this nation has enacted in over 40 years.”
Danish bioenergy companies explore turning biomass to biogas
By Bioenergy Insight.
Novozymes, Novo Nordisk, Dong Energy, and Bigadan are investigating the possibility of producing biomass-based biogas.
If the results from the pre-investigation, expected to last a year or more, confirm the preliminary analyses, the parties intend to go ahead and realise biogas production.
n Kalundborg, Denmark, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes have extensive factory facilities, which produce enzymes and insulin that are sold all over the world.
Biomass is a by-product from this production and is already used as a fertiliser on fields and also by Novo Nordisk to produce biogas at installations around Zealand, the largest Danish Island.
WEC Energy Group Selling Trillium CNG
By Richard Nemec, Natural Gas Intelligence.
Trillium CNG, a provider of compressed natural gas (CNG) to transportation fleets, reportedly is being put up for sale by its new parent company, Milwaukee-based WEC Energy Group.
WEC Energy acquired Trillium as part of its acquisition of Chicago-based gas utility holding company Integrys Energy (see Daily GPI, June 30).
A provider of CNG fueling stations and maintenance, Trillium's unregulated natural gas vehicle (NGV) business is not viewed by WEC as a good fit with its regulated natural gas and electric utility businesses. There would be about $140 million in assets involved in the Trillium sale, said a WEC spokesperson, adding that more details on the upcoming transaction would be available in the company's 10Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in November.
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