RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Santa Monica Considers “New Generation” of Bus Engines
By Niki Cervantes, Santa Monica Lookout.
August 4, 2016 -- Santa Monica City buses, already fueled by renewable natural gas, are likely to start running soon with many engines that produce near-zero Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions, City officials said.
A $7 million five-year proposed contract headed to the City Council on Tuesday would install ISL G Near-Zero 0.02 NOx emission engines on 60 buses in the Big Blue Bus (BBB) system, a report to the council said.
BBB’s current fleet includes 200 buses.
Nitrogen Oxides are a family of "poisonous, highly reactive gases" that form when fuel is burned at high temperatures, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Wynne defends move to put cost of cap-and-trade in delivery line on bills
By Keith Leslie, the Canadian Press.
TORONTO – Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending the decision to bury the cost of Ontario’s cap-and-trade plan in the “delivery” line on natural gas bills.
The Ontario Energy Board announced last week that costs related to the Liberals’ climate change plan would not appear in a separate line item on consumers’ bills for natural gas, which is used to heat most homes in the province.
Wynne said Thursday that the government doesn’t interfere with decisions made by an arms-length agency like the energy board, which she pointed out consulted the industry and public before issuing its directive on carbon pricing.
California cap and trade could go to ballot
By Jeremy B. White, Sacramento Bee.
The fight to extend California’s climate change program could mean putting the issue before voters, a top aide to Gov. Jerry Brown said on Thursday as the governor launched a new ballot measure committee.
In publicly proclaiming the possibility of shifting from the Legislature to the ballot box, the Brown administration underscored its commitment to fortifying its climate change efforts, which the governor has placed at the center of his fourth and final term, despite resistance from some legislators.
As the legislative session accelerates into its final stretch, the fate of California’s cap-and-trade system has dominated talk at the Capitol. Established under the auspices of a 2006 bill, the system requires businesses to buy permits for the climate-altering emissions they put into the air.
Postal Fleet Services Selects Ryder for Natural Gas Vehicle Solution in Four States
Via Business Wire.
MIAMI--Ryder System, Inc., a leader in commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions, announced that Postal Fleet Services, Inc. signed a Ryder ChoiceLease Full Service agreement for 20 compressed natural gas (CNG) heavy-duty vehicles supporting mail delivery operations in Orlando, Fla., Lafayette, La., Jackson, Miss., and La Vergne, Tenn.
Postal Fleet Services has relied on Ryder for fleet leasing and maintenance solutions for more than 10 years. The 20 CNG fueled vehicles will now be added to the existing fleet of Ryder diesel-powered vehicles that already supports Postal Fleet Services’ mail distribution operations. The vehicles will be serviced by Ryder’s maintenance network of best-in-class natural gas trained technicians within Ryder’s maintenance facilities that meet the unique compliance requirements for servicing advanced fueled vehicles.
Clinton campaign studying alternative to U.S. ethanol mandate
By Valerie Volcovici and Rory Carroll, Reuters.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign has solicited advice from California regulators on how to revamp a federal regulation requiring biofuels like corn-based ethanol be blended into the nation's gasoline supply, according to campaign and state officials.
The move is the clearest sign yet that, if elected, Clinton would seek to adjust the regulation, called the Renewable Fuel Standard, possibly hurting her chances in corn-growing states like Iowa where she faces a tough battle against Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 election.
The Renewable Fuel Standard, created by Congress in 2005, mandates that transportation fuel sold in the United States contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels.
The Certainty of Uncertainty: Energy, Environment and the US Presidential Race
By Joel B. Stronberg, Renewable Energy World.
The certainty of uncertainty, in the political arena, is the only thing of which I am certain. The 2016 presidential election is already a cross between The Rocky Horror Picture Show and a full contact spectator sport. If it didn’t have such an impact on the global environment, I might find these theatrics of the absurd entertaining.
I had ended Part II with the start of a discussion on the near-term impact of the U.S. presidential race. Beyond some of the particular differences between the Republican and Democratic nominees I referenced, the jam for the White House is historic for the prominence it is according climate change and the role of renewables. Very much driven, I believe, by Senator Sanders, both candidates and their parties are making more than honorary mention of these subjects—more than President Obama did in either 2008 or 2012. Although approaching them from very different perspectives, millions of Americans are just now discovering the importance and ubiquity of climate and energy.
UPS Reaches Alternative Fuels Goal a Year Early
By Heavy Duty Trucking.
UPS has achieved its goal of driving 1 billion miles with its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet one year earlier than planned, the global delivery company announced.
UPS detailed its commitment to sustainability in its 14th annual Sustainability Report.
“We had a big sustainability goal as we set out to make the most of our rolling laboratory by driving 1 billion clean miles in alternative fuel vehicles – that’s the equivalent of well over 4,000 trips to the moon,” said David Abney, UPS chairman and CEO. “While attaining this goal is new, our commitment to seeking out alternative fuels actually dates back to the 1930s when UPS tested electric vehicles. With more than 100,000 drivers logging more than 3 billion miles per year, our future depends on our ability to meet the growing demand for global trade while reducing our impact on the environment.”
Action to prevent climate change helps investors, businesses
By Jonas D. Kron, Sacramento Bee.
Climate change is the defining investment issue of our generation. As a firm that manages more than $2 billion in assets, we understand the financial risks of a warming planet – and the opportunities in driving clean-energy investments and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Which is why we support Senate Bill 32, which will continue California’s progress on mitigating climate change, and why we are meeting with legislators Wednesday to discuss its merits.
The future is clean energy, and California is setting the pace. Here, better than anyplace in the world, people understand the importance of leading innovation and gaining a competitive advantage.
Renewables to hit 29% share in N America's power in 2025
By Tsvetomira Tsanova, SeeNews Renewables.
August 2 (SeeNews) - The share of renewables in North America’s electricity mix will expand to 29% by 2025, while that of nuclear will decline to 16%, according to a reference case projection by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
In total, clean energy sources will reach 45% of the power mix in Canada, Mexico, and the US combined, under the reference case in the Annual Energy Outlook 2016 (AEO2016). This compares to 38% in 2015 (20% for renewables and 18% for nuclear).
The US, Canada and Mexico announced in June they will strive towards a 2025 regional goal of 50% clean power generation by relying on renewable and nuclear power, carbon capture and storage technologies, as well as on energy efficiency.
Honolulu picks Hawaii Gas to supply it with renewable natural gas from wastewater treatment plant
By Duane Shimogawa, Pacific Business News.
Honolulu has chosen Hawaii Gas to supply the city with biogas from its Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ewa Beach in West Oahu.
A contract awarded to Hawaii Gas last week expires on Dec. 31, 2024, with options to extend. The city sent out a request for proposals for the sale of biogas from the plant in July 2015. The value of the contract was not immediately known.
The biogas at Honouliuli is currently burned and not utilized. Biogas is produced at wastewater treatment plants and landfills when biodegradable waste is broken down through chemical reactions and by microbes.
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