RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.US elections: what Trump’s victory means for the bioeconomy
By Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest.
In Washington, Donald Trump captured the US Presidency in an upset victory that confounded pollsters and political pundits even as it delighted supporters of his maverick candidacy based on themes of immigration and trade reform coupled with a message that government policies of the past generation had failed for too many Americans.
An unexpected series of wins across US Midwestern states – capturing Iowa, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio which had gone for Obama in 2012 – provided a comfortable margin of victory in the Electoral College and the popular vote.
5 Themes
Some immediate themes emerge for the global bioeconomy as the US turns now from its lengthy election process to the transition period between Administrations.
How will a Trump Presidency impact California's Policies?
By CALmatters.
As a state bluer than Lake Tahoe in sunlight, California has adopted a slew of progressive policies that drive Donald Trump nuts. They combat climate change, protect undocumented immigrants, evangelize for Obamacare and more.
So this week—as candidate Trump morphed into President-elect Trump—uncertainty swept the state. While protesters hit the streets and the hashtag #Calexit spiked with residents semi-seriously advocating U.S. secession, policy-makers scrambled to identify state programs at risk in the coming Trump administration.
The Legislature’s top leaders, both Democrats, issued a rare joint statement promising to “maximize the time during the presidential transition to defend our accomplishments using every tool at our disposal.”
Biomass, biofuel groups hopeful Trump will support bioenergy
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
On Nov. 8, the U.S. elected republican nominee Donald Trump to serve as its 45th president. Representatives of the biomass and biofuels industries are saying they look forward to working with the new administration and federal lawmakers to expand the production of bioenergy.
"This election was in part about boosting the economy and creating more jobs in rural America, places where a biomass facility makes a real impact,” said Bob Cleaves, president and CEO of the Biomass Power Association. “We are getting to work planning for a Trump Administration and the investments in rural communities and infrastructure that are likely to come with it. We look forward to continuing our work with our many congressional biomass supporters on both sides of the aisle."
The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas has pointed out that because Trump has not held prior elected office and does not have a voting record, there is a justifiable degree of inquisitiveness about the future. The organization also noted the most highlighted issue on the campaign trail impacting the RNG industry was the renewable fuel standard (RFS), which Trump consistently supported.
EPA proposes to deny change in RFS point of obligation
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
On Nov. 10, the U.S. EPA proposed to deny several petitions requesting the agency redefine the point of obligation under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). A 60-day public comment period on the decision is scheduled to be opened soon.
On June 13, Valero Energy Corp. issued a petition to U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy asking the agency to redefine obligated party as “the entity that holds title to the gasoline or diesel fuel, immediately prior to the sale from the bulk transfer/terminal system…to a wholesaler, retailer or ultimate consumer.” Refiners and importers are currently considered obligated parties under the RFS. Valero also made a similar request in February.
Waste Management names new CEO, marking end of Steiner's 12-year run
By Kristin Musulin, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- Waste Management announced it has named James C. Fish Jr. as the company's new president and CEO, marking the end of David Steiner's 12-year run as the company's chief executive. Fish has also been elected to the company's Board of Directors.
- W. Robert Reum, non-executive chairman of the board, said in a press release that Fish was chosen for the position because he "has a deep understanding of ... strategy, impressive financial and operational acumen and strong support from employees, customers and investors."
- It is unclear if David Steiner will have any involvement with the company following this shift in leadership. Waste Management is now in search for a new CFO, but Fish will continue to lead financial operations in the interim.
Rumpke partners with Energy Developments for Ohio LFG project
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- Rumpke has teamed up with Energy Developments to build a landfill gas-to-energy facility at the Brown County Landfill in Georgetown, OH, as reported by Waste 360.
- Gas is currently collected through 80 wells at the site and flared. The new facility will use this gas to produce 4.8 MW of electricity, enough to power about 3,000 homes, that will go to American Municipal Power.
- The $8 million facility, which will be owned and operated by Energy Developments, is expected to be operational in April 2017.
More farms generating renewable energy, report finds
By Sara Wyant, AgriPulse.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2016 - From 2007 to 2012, the number of farms generating revenue from on-farm renewable energy more than doubled to nearly 58,000 - or 2.7 percent of U.S. farms. That's according to a recent report from USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), “Trends in U.S. Agriculture's Consumption and Production of Energy: Renewable Power, Shale Energy, and Cellulosic Biomass.”
Farmers and ranchers are also profiting by leasing mineral rights and wind rights. ERS did not include the roughly 16,600 farms that leased wind rights to others or that produced ethanol and biodiesel on the farm in its total.
Clean Energy Has Arrived; Corporate Climate Disclosure Approaching
By Jeff McMahon, Forbes.
The transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is so established already that it would be difficult to reverse it, an official from the White House Office of Management and Budget said Monday.
And companies representing most of the world’s capital realize it, said Ali Zaidi, associate director for natural resources, energy, and science at OMB, which watchdogs climate risk for the government’s $440 billion in annual purchases.
“We’ve gotten to a point on clean energy where the costs are coming down so quickly, the uptake is happening so rapidly, and the jobs are so clear and palpable for communities all around the United States that it’s hard for the political economy to swing around to the other side,” Zaidi said at an Atlantic Council forum on corporate disclosure of climate risk.
$8 million trash to gas to energy project beginning in Brown County
By Wendy Mitchell, The Ledger Independent.
GEORGETOWN, Ohio – Mountains of trash are being turned into utility resources in Brown County, Ohio.
On Thursday, state and local officials participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at the Rumpke Brown County landfill, designating the site as the place where methane from the decomposition of trash will be turned into usable electricity.
According to Rumpke officials, the approximately $8 million plant should be operational in late spring 2017.
Carbon offsets from biogas are part of a new partnership to foster Québec's green economy
By Gaz Metro, via The Province.
MONTRÉAL, Nov. 3, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Gaz Métro is proud to announce multi-year agreements with WSP Canada Inc. to purchase offset credits generated by the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through landfill biogas collection and destruction systems operated by WSP at the Mont-Laurier, Saint-Raymond, Rivière-Rouge and Saint-Flavien landfills. The partnership marks a further step towards attaining the environmental goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Québec.
The technology installed by WSP will bring about a permanent reduction of GHG emissions equal to some 140,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents (t CO2 eq.). WSP operates collection and destruction systems for the biogas generated at each landfill. The collection systems carry the gas to a pumping station, after which it is destroyed. Overall, the process results in significant reductions of GHG emissions at the sites.
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