RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Central Valley must fight to remain a hub for clean fuels jobs
By Russ Teall and Neil Koehler, The Fresno Bee.
Huron resident Juan Castaneda used to jump to a new seasonal agricultural job every two or three months. After taking classes at West Hills Community College, Juan landed a job eight months ago with biofuel producer Biodico through the college’s Workforce Connection program, supported by the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board.
Juan now works to transform feedstock into clean biofuel. His new job is more “sustainable” not only from an environmental perspective, but also for his quality of life: Juan went from temporary, unreliable work to a full-time, permanent career with benefits.
Brown Gears Up for Fight Over California Climate Effort
By Alejandro Lazo, The Wall Street Journal.
SAN FRANCISCO—Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown has launched a political-action committee to preserve California’s cap-and-trade program—setting up a potential battle over the state’s environmental policy.
Cap and trade aims to reduce carbon emissions by imposing a limit on the amount of CO2 released by industry and then selling a finite number of permits every quarter for businesses to meet those allowances.
California, the first state with a comprehensive cap-and-trade system, launched its program in 2012. After robust permit sales early on, the program has become beset with political and legal challenges, and demand for carbon permits has shrunk.
California files 1st state Clean Power Plan compliance draft despite SCOTUS stay
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive.
Dive Brief:
- California is the first in the nation to develop a compliance plan to meet Clean Power Plan goals, but because the state is already a leader in clean energy and emissions reductions there is little new that it will need to do, ClimateWire reports.
- The plan largely continues the state's cap-and-trade program and other measures in place for a decade, but adds a federally-enforceable "backstop" mechanism in case its program is not successful.
- The U.S Supreme Court stayed the Clean Power Plan in February but California said it would develop a compliance plan regardless. Overall, the law targets a 32% reduction in carbon emissions from the power sector by 2030. California's target reduction is 13.2%.
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.”
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