RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.EPA report shows economic growth, environmental rules can co-exist
By Ledyard King, USA TODAY.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s argument that “job-killing” environmental regulations are stifling U.S. economic growth is being undercut by … the Trump administration.
A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency found that since Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, the economy has more than tripled and the number of vehicle miles traveled every year has nearly doubled — all while the nation’s population and annual energy consumption has surged.
By Ledyard King, USA TODAY.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s argument that “job-killing” environmental regulations are stifling U.S. economic growth is being undercut by … the Trump administration.
A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency found that since Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, the economy has more than tripled and the number of vehicle miles traveled every year has nearly doubled — all while the nation’s population and annual energy consumption has surged.
At the same time, the levels of six key air pollutants — carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide — have declined dramatically.
The number of unhealthy air quality days annually in 35 of America’s largest cities has fallen significantly while the visibility at national parks across the country once shrouded in haze has improved substantially, the report said.
London mayor releases environmental strategy with 'zero waste' goal by 2026
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan has released a new draft "environment strategy" that includes a "zero waste" goal of sending no biodegradable or recyclable waste to landfills by 2026. The plan also calls for increasing the city's overall diversion rate of 52% — including residential and commercial material — to 65% by 2030, as reported by BusinessGreen.
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan has released a new draft "environment strategy" that includes a "zero waste" goal of sending no biodegradable or recyclable waste to landfills by 2026. The plan also calls for increasing the city's overall diversion rate of 52% — including residential and commercial material — to 65% by 2030, as reported by BusinessGreen.
- The plan pledges to make "the disposable economy a thing of the past," and outlines multiple circular economy ideas to begin heading in this direction. In the near-term, the plan also calls for the city's 33 local authorities to begin offering collection services for organic waste and at least six types of recyclable materials (glass, cans, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and mixed plastics).
- On the commercial side, the plan calls for a potential zone collection system that would be divided up among London's business improvement districts. The plan also calls for better data collection about commercial waste activities in partnership with the U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Element Markets Announces the Hiring of Two Leading Biomethane Executives - Tom Moffett and Steve Johnson
Via Markets Insider.
HOUSTON, Aug 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Element Markets, LLC today announced the hiring of Tom Moffett and Steve Johnson, experienced renewable natural gas (RNG) and environmental commodity market professionals from Shell Energy North America, to anchor the company's Carlsbad, California office opening in September 2017. Tom Moffettbecomes Element Markets' Senior Vice President of Environmental Products and is joined by Steve Johnson, who will serve as the Vice President of Environmental Products. Mr. Moffett will lead Element Markets' West Coast origination of RNG, RINs, LCFS credits, carbon allowances and offsets, renewable energy, and emission credits, while Mr. Johnson brings over 30 years of experience in the West Coast energy markets to the Element Markets team, having worked with a variety of customers to develop tailored renewable energy solutions.
Immediately prior to joining Element Markets, Mr. Moffett and Mr. Johnson led the biomethane marketing effort at Shell Energy North America, where they were integral in the development of renewable energy and carbon transactions, and strategies for Shell's affiliates and clients.
Ontario considers food waste ban from MSW by 2022
By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- Ontario policymakers want to outlaw food waste from curbside trash collection by 2022, according to the CBC.
- About 33% of Ontario's total waste in 2014 was made up of food and organics, according to a recent discussion paper released by the province. In 2016, 37 municipalities in Ontario offered curbside organics collection, according to that same paper.
- Ontario already has a 15-point plan for becoming a waste-free province, which includes reducing the amount of food and organic waste going to landfills.
Waste Management opens 100th CNG fueling station
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Dive Brief:
- Waste Management recently announced the opening of its 100th compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station at an event in Oklahoma City. The company spent $9.2 million on the fueling center and service station, which can fill up to 134 trucks per night. Another $19.8 million has been invested in its local fleet, which will have more than 100 trucks by the end of the year, as reported by News OK.
- The company now has CNG stations in 33 states and three Canadian provinces. Of those 100 stations, 25 are open to the public.
- This infrastructure now supports 6,000 CNG trucks, which Waste Management says is the largest heavy-duty fleet of its kind in North America. Each trucks saves an estimated 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year and reduces emissions by 15% per truck.
Compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles on the rise in city fleets
By Jason Axelrod, American City and County.
As American City & County previously reported, compressed natural gas (CNG) is a popular fuel choice for refuse vehicles. But cities and their transportation partners are also finding success with CNG fuel in other vehicles in their fleets.
By Jason Axelrod, American City and County.
As American City & County previously reported, compressed natural gas (CNG) is a popular fuel choice for refuse vehicles. But cities and their transportation partners are also finding success with CNG fuel in other vehicles in their fleets.
Valley Metro, the unified regional transit system for the greater Phoenix area, will be deploying 200 new buses over the next few years, according to Phoenix radio station KTAR. In addition to using CNG, the buses will also have new electronic fan systems and new transmissions, which officials report will yield better engine performance.
“We are moving all of our buses over to CNG,” Valley Metro Spokeswoman Corinne Holliday told KTAR. “One of those things we really try to do it improve the environment and one way we can do that is by having CNG buses.”
Omaha Metro Transit announces first purchase of CNG buses
Omaha Metro Transit’s Board of Directors has approved the purchase of nine compressed natural gas (CNG) powered buses for Metro’s paratransit service, MOBY. They will replace current vehicles that have reached their useful life, as calculated by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Clean Energy awarded multi-year extension by DART and extends fuel agreements
Via USGasVehicles.com.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced that Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), one of the country’s largest transit agencies to move away from diesel to natural gas, has extended Clean Energy’s operation and maintenance contract for an additional four years. Clean Energy services DART’s four compressed natural gas (CNG) facilities supporting 537 buses and 123 shuttles and paratransit vehicles. These stations are anticipated to dispense approximately 40 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGEs) over the contract period.
Via USGasVehicles.com.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced that Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), one of the country’s largest transit agencies to move away from diesel to natural gas, has extended Clean Energy’s operation and maintenance contract for an additional four years. Clean Energy services DART’s four compressed natural gas (CNG) facilities supporting 537 buses and 123 shuttles and paratransit vehicles. These stations are anticipated to dispense approximately 40 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGEs) over the contract period.
On July 27, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMTA) approved the purchase of an additional 65 CNG buses, expanding on a purchase earlier in July of 295, for a total of 360 new CNG buses. LAMTA currently operates the largest CNG fleet in the nation with a total of 2,250 buses, all of which may, at the option of LAMTA, be fueled by Clean Energy’s Redeem™ brand of renewable natural gas (RNG) that is the cleanest transportation fuel available rated 70 % cleaner than diesel. These new buses will be fitted with CWI’s latest L9N engines, which have NOx emissions 90% lower than the current EPA NOx limit of 0.2 g/bhp-hr.
LA Metro Orders e-Buses, CNG Buses & Engines too
(LA Metro) Is Buying 95 Battery Vehicles from BYD and New Flyer
As Actions Include CNG/RNG Vehicles from Two Suppliers,
And Up to $26.5 Million for Near Zero Replacement Engines
The busy board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority – LA Metro – voted last week to buy 95 all-battery buses. And while it endorsed the idea of an all-electric fleet in future, the board voted too to buy 360 compressed natural gas-fueled buses and to replace the engines in as many as 395 existing CNG buses with super low-NOx “Near Zero” engines from Cummins Westport.
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