RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.World leaders expand clean energy research push
By Devin Henry, The Hill.
World leaders have agreed to double the clean energy research funding they pledged in December as part of an international push to reduce carbon emissions, the White House announced on Thursday.
During the first meeting of the 21 countries involved in the Mission Innovation project this week, international members said they would increase the clean energy research and development funding the project is designed to facilitate.
According to the White House, member countries will now spend $30 billion per year by 2021 on clean energy research.
Canada's natural gas utilities propose target for renewable natural gas content
Via Montreal Gazette.
OTTAWA, May 25, 2016 /CNW/ - The natural gas delivered to Canadian homes, transportation markets, businesses, and industry will soon include more renewable energy in it thanks to a new national renewable natural gas (RNG) target announced today by the Canadian Gas Association.
Canada's natural gas utilities have set a target of 5 per cent RNG-blended natural gas in the pipeline distribution system by 2025 and 10 per cent by 2030. Nationally, the increased RNG content would result in 14 megatonnes (MT) of greenhouse gas emission reductions per year by 2030, equivalent to removing 3 million passenger cars from the road.
RNG, a 100 per cent renewable energy source, is natural gas currently produced from organic waste from farms, forests, landfills, and water treatment plants. The gas is captured, cleaned, and blended into natural gas distribution pipelines and used in the same way as traditionally delivered natural gas by homes, businesses, transportation fleets, and industry. There are no special upgrades to furnaces, water heaters and other equipment needed to use RNG. This is one example of how natural gas utilities and the natural gas distribution system have an important role in Canada's innovative energy delivery system of the future.
Maryland Gov. Hogan vetoes increase to state's renewable energy standard
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive.
Dive Brief:
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has vetoed legislation to raise the state's renewable portfolio standard from 20% to 25% by 2020, citing tax increases of up to $196 million under the plan.
Hogan had been expected to sign the bill, and a recent poll found more than 70% of the state's voters across both parties supported the increased standard.
According to Hogan, Maryland consumers in 2014 paid more than $104 million for renewable energy credits and the higher standard would impose "an additional burden on ratepayers."
Ontario Announces Significant Climate Change, Cap-and-Trade, GHG Emissions Legislative Developments
By Doug Taylor, JDSupra Business Advisor.
On May 18, 2016, the Ontario government (Government) passed the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act, 2016 (Act). The Government says that the Act’s objective is to make the province accountable for transparently investing proceeds from the cap-and-trade program into actions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution, create jobs and help people and businesses shift to a low-carbon economy.
On May 19, 2016, the Government finalized two new regulations under the Act: The Cap and Trade Program Regulations (Cap-and-Trade Regulations), which will take effect on July 1, 2016, and The Quantification, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations (Emissions Regulations), which will take effect on January 1, 2017. The Emissions Regulations provide the methodology by which participants will quantify and verify their emissions.
Clean Energy Fuels Agreements Impact Hawaii Gas, Solid Waste Companies
By Megan Greenwalt, Waste360.
Clean Energy Fuels has secured a contract to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Hawaii Gas, the State of Hawaii’s gas utility, in addition to several agreements with solid waste entities.
“Hawaii Gas has been serving the state for over a hundred years and is committed to providing our customers with quality and reliable gas service,” Thomas Young, Hawaii Gas’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “With Clean Energy LNG, we will be able to diversify our gas supply using a clean fuel improving our reliability and maintaining the quality of service our customers know us for.”
According to Nathan Nelson, vice president, general counsel and secretary for Honolulu-based Hawaii Gas, the commercial terms of the contract with Clean Energy, including contract length and volume, is proprietary and confidential.
Clean energy to double share of electricity market by 2030
By RA, ejinsight.
Renewable energy will account for 40 percent of electricity output capacity by 2030, almost double today’s market share.
The expansion will be due to lower technology costs, Bloomberg reports, citing Adnan Amin, director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
“We anticipate with the, which is quite remarkable growth.”
That compares with 22 percent today, according to IRENA.
Hawaiian Electric Companies propose using natural gas with modernized generation for a lower cost, cleaner path to 100 percent renewable energy
By Hawaiian Electric Companies.
HONOLULU, May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hawaiian Electric Companies today asked the Hawai'i Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to review and approve a proposed contract with Fortis Hawaii Energy Inc. to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) for electricity generation on O'ahu, Hawai'i Island and Maui.
The contract, the culmination of a request for proposals issued two years ago, would provide a cleaner, low-cost fuel to replace oil in the transition to achieving Hawai'i's 100 percent renewable portfolio standard by 2045. If approved, Hawaiian Electric envisions beginning use of natural gas in 2021 with a 20-year contract ending as Hawai'i approaches its 100 percent renewable energy goal.
"We are committed to achieving our state's 100 percent renewable energy goal with a diverse mix of renewable resources," said Ron Cox, Hawaiian Electric vice president for power supply. "As we make this transition, LNG is a cleaner-burning alternative that potentially can provide billions of dollars in savings and stabilize electric bills for our customers compared to continuing to rely on imported oil with its volatile prices. LNG is a superior fuel for the firm generation needed to keep electric service reliable as we increase our use of variable renewables like solar and wind."
California RNG bill could open door to pipeline injection
By Anna Simet, Biomass Magazine.
A proposed bill in California may serve to greatly benefit the state’s renewable natural gas (RNG) industry.
AB 2773 was introduced in February, passed by the Committee on Utilities and Commerce in March and has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations. If it were to become law, it would modify current siloxane requirements and essentially break down the barrier for RNG producers to access the natural gas pipeline.
Millar Western ramps up $42M cleantech biogas project in Whitecourt, Alta.
By Tony Kryzanowski, Cleantech Canada.
WHITECOURT, Alta.—Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. has spent more than $42 million on a new facility to convert biological waste from its Whitecourt, Alta. pulp mill into biogas.
The first use of anaerobic digestion technology at a chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp (BCTMP) mill in the Western Hemisphere, the major cleantech project will test the process in the coldest climate yet.
“The project was a long term fit for our pulp mill,” Ron Reis, senior vice-president of Millar Western’s pulp division, said. “We recognized that environmental issues today are a growing concern for the public and we wanted to put the mill in a position where we could do a better job in the future both from a greenhouse gas emissions and organics discharged into the river point of view.”
Ontario passes cap-and-trade legislation
By Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press.
TORONTO — Ontario has passed legislation creating a cap-and-trade system to fight climate change, which the government predicts will add $5 a month to home heating bills and 4.3 cents to the price of a litre of gasoline, or $8 a month on average.
"The costs, according to our economists, are $13 a month, and that's before we consider any of the investments," said Environment Minister Glen Murray.
"So if you're buying an electric vehicle or home heating and cooling system or new energy systems that we'll be helping subsidize, that will lower those costs."
Under cap and trade, industries are given specific pollution limits, but can sell their emission allowances to other companies if they come in below their annual limit, or buy credits if they exceed it.
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