RNG NEWS
RNG industry bands together in response to proposed 2018 RFS
By Marcus Gillette, Biomass Magazine.
As the predominate supplier of cellulosic biofuel to the Renewable Fuel Standard, renewable natural gas (RNG) is experiencing a growth rate unprecedented in the sector.
But when the U.S. EPA released its draft rule of the 2018 renewable volume obligation (RVO) in May and proposed to lower cellulosic biofuel demand, some onlookers forecasted doom and gloom.
By Marcus Gillette, Biomass Magazine.
As the predominate supplier of cellulosic biofuel to the Renewable Fuel Standard, renewable natural gas (RNG) is experiencing a growth rate unprecedented in the sector.
But when the U.S. EPA released its draft rule of the 2018 renewable volume obligation (RVO) in May and proposed to lower cellulosic biofuel demand, some onlookers forecasted doom and gloom.
Instead the opposite happened. Thanks in large part to a strong RNG industry response, and a favorable ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals in Americans for Clean Energy, the RNG market has remained strong and developers have continued to build.
The RNG industry is answering congress’s call for domestic fuel production to boost U.S. energy security. Communities throughout the country are converting their waste into renewable compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), literally fueling freight movement along our nation’s highways. RNG’s environmental merits compound its attractiveness. Cellulosic biofuels must achieve lifecycle benefits of 60 percent or greater compared to a diesel baseline.
Ontario Announces September Cap and Trade Program Auction Results: A Sell Out
Via Canadia Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change - September 13.
Today, Ontario announced the results of the province's third auction of greenhouse gas emission allowances, held Sept. 6, 2017.
A total of 25,296,367 current (2017) allowances were sold at a settlement price of $18.56 CAD and a total of 3,116,700 future (2020) greenhouse gas emission allowances were sold at a settlement price of $18.03 CAD. The auction generated an estimated $525,694,672 CAD in proceeds, which by law will be invested in programs that will reduce greenhouse gas pollution and help families and businesses reduce their own emissions through the Climate Change Action Plan.
By Canada Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change - September 13.
Today, Ontario announced the results of the province's third auction of greenhouse gas emission allowances, held Sept. 6, 2017.
A total of 25,296,367 current (2017) allowances were sold at a settlement price of $18.56 CAD and a total of 3,116,700 future (2020) greenhouse gas emission allowances were sold at a settlement price of $18.03 CAD. The auction generated an estimated $525,694,672 CAD in proceeds, which by law will be invested in programs that will reduce greenhouse gas pollution and help families and businesses reduce their own emissions through the Climate Change Action Plan.
Proceeds from the province's carbon market auctions are funding programs in 2017-18 that help people and businesses across Ontario reduce pollution, including:
- Up to $377 million to establish the Green Ontario Fund to help homeowners and businesses save money and fight climate change through programs and rebates
Fremont, MI biodigester to process 120,000 gallons of daily organic waste, expected to annually power 2,500 homes
By Justine McGuire, Michigan Live.
FREMONT, MI -- The revamped Fremont Regional Digester is expected to divert 165,000 tons of organic waste and produce enough electricity to power 2,500 annually.
By Justine McGuire, Michigan Live.
FREMONT, MI -- The revamped Fremont Regional Digester is expected to divert 165,000 tons of organic waste and produce enough electricity to power 2,500 annually.
Closed in 2015 after an initial opening in 2012, the biodigester is under new ownership and management. San Francisco-based Generate Capital Inc. bought the plant, and invested "substantially" throughout 2017 to resume operations.
Upgrades make it possible for the plant to run 24/7, and handle about 120,000 gallons of organic waste daily.
A test start-up was completed in July, and the plant, 1634 Locust St. in Fremont Industrial Park, will be fully operational this fall.
U.S. EIA predicts increased bioenergy capacity in 2018
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the September edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, which includes updated forecasts for electricity production and generation capacity from wood and waste biomass.
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the September edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, which includes updated forecasts for electricity production and generation capacity from wood and waste biomass.
The EIA currently predicts wood biomass will be used to generate 112,000 MWh per day of electricity this year, with that level to be maintained through 2018. Waste biomass is expected to generate 58,000 MWh per day this year, increasing to 59,000 MWh per day next year.
According to the EIA, the electric power sector is expected to have 7,414 MW of biomass power capacity at the end of this year, increasing to 7,599 MW by the end of 2018. Waste biomass capacity is expected to reach 4,211 MW by the end of this year, increasing to 4,303 MW by the end of next year. Wood biomass capacity is also expected to increase, from 3,202 MW this year to 3,296 MW next year.
Inside Boston CORe, where Waste Management has been scaling up an answer to urban organics diversion
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Under the Tobin Bridge on the waterfront outskirts of Boston, Waste Management has been scaling up the latest example of its urban organics technology for nearly a year.
By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.
Under the Tobin Bridge on the waterfront outskirts of Boston, Waste Management has been scaling up the latest example of its urban organics technology for nearly a year.
The Centralized Organic Recycling (CORe) facility is currently accepting about 50 tons per day of the region's residential and commercial food waste, with capacity for up to five times that much as demand increases. This is the third of four such facilities owned by the company — two are operational in New York and California, one is under construction in northern New Jersey — and more are expected in the future. Each is designed with a small footprint and the goal of extracting contaminants to create a bioslurry for digestion at regional wastewater treatment plants.
"People often underestimate the cost associated with collection of source-separated organics," said Eric Myers, Waste Management's director of organic recycling. "This is just another way to try to economically solve for what we as a society have decided is important and what our customers are asking for."
Meet the entrepreneurs who capture carbon dioxide and hope to turn it into fuels
The race is on to prove that CO2 can be taken from the air and recycled into profitable, carbon neutral fuels. But cost and investment obstacles remain.
By Mark Harris, The Guardian.
In an industrial greenhouse about 30km from Zurich, plump aubergines and juicy cherry tomatoes are ripening to perfection. Growing Mediterranean crops in Switzerland would traditionally be energy intensive but these vegetables are very nearly carbon-neutral. The greenhouse uses waste energy from a nearby refuse plant, and carbon dioxide from the world’s first commercial direct air capture plant.
The race is on to prove that CO2 can be taken from the air and recycled into profitable, carbon neutral fuels. But cost and investment obstacles remain.
By Mark Harris, The Guardian.
In an industrial greenhouse about 30km from Zurich, plump aubergines and juicy cherry tomatoes are ripening to perfection. Growing Mediterranean crops in Switzerland would traditionally be energy intensive but these vegetables are very nearly carbon-neutral. The greenhouse uses waste energy from a nearby refuse plant, and carbon dioxide from the world’s first commercial direct air capture plant.
The facility, designed by Zurich-based start-up Climeworks, pumps the gas into greenhouses to boost the plants’ photosynthesis and increase their yield, it hopes, by up to 20%. Climeworks says it will extract around 900 tonnes of CO2 a year from the air.
The company’s end game is not plumper tomatoes but something far more ambitious – proving that carbon dioxide can be recycled from the atmosphere and turned into something useful. If this installation is a success, Climeworks wants to sell its concentrated carbon dioxide to companies producing carbon-neutral hydrocarbon fuels.
Hawaii Gas receives approval from the PUC to make renewable natural gas from Honouliuli biogas
Biogas from Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant will generate revenue for the City
HONOLULU (Sept. 13, 2017) – Hawaii Gas, the state’s only regulated gas utility, received approval from the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to install equipment to capture and process biogas from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hawaii Gas was awarded the contract from the City and County of Honolulu in July of 2016 after a competitive bidding process.
“Incorporating cost-effective renewable natural gas as part of our fuel mix is a key priority as we continue to do our part to advance Hawaii’s clean energy future,” said Alicia Moy, president & CEO, Hawaii Gas. “We look forward to pursuing similar projects that deliver renewable fuels to our customers and new revenue streams to the City. This is a win-win partnership for the residents of Honolulu and our customers.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alan Tang
Mobile: 808.261.8412
alan@olomanaloomisisc.com
Biogas from Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant will generate revenue for the City
HONOLULU (Sept. 13, 2017) – Hawaii Gas, the state’s only regulated gas utility, received approval from the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to install equipment to capture and process biogas from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hawaii Gas was awarded the contract from the City and County of Honolulu in July of 2016 after a competitive bidding process.
“Incorporating cost-effective renewable natural gas as part of our fuel mix is a key priority as we continue to do our part to advance Hawaii’s clean energy future,” said Alicia Moy, president & CEO, Hawaii Gas. “We look forward to pursuing similar projects that deliver renewable fuels to our customers and new revenue streams to the City. This is a win-win partnership for the residents of Honolulu and our customers.”
The Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant produces about 800,000 therms of energy per year, which is currently not being utilized. By selling the biogas, the City and County of Honolulu will generate approximately $1.6 million of revenue per year.
The awarded contract expires December 31, 2024, with a provision to extend the term. Hawaii Gas will invest about $5 million in the infrastructure to process the raw biogas and to connect the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant to the company’s existing pipeline. The project is estimated to be operational by the end of 2018.
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About Hawaii Gas
Hawaii Gas is Hawaii’s only government-franchised, full-service gas company manufacturing and distributing gas in Hawai‘i. Hawaii Gas manufactures synthetic natural gas, or SNG, for its utility customers on O‘ahu, and distributes liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG (propane), to utility, tank and bottled gas customers to all islands. Hawaii Gas is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Company. For more information, visit hawaiigas.com.
US EPA chief responds to Senate inquiry, denies Icahn influence in RFS regulation
By Reuters, via CNBC.
- The head of the EPA told a senator that investor Carl Icahn never wielded excessive influence on U.S. biofuels policy.
- Icahn ended his adviser role in August after facing criticism his guidance to Trump represented a conflict of interests as it may have benefited CVR.
By Reuters, via CNBC.
- The head of the EPA told a senator that investor Carl Icahn never wielded excessive influence on U.S. biofuels policy.
- Icahn ended his adviser role in August after facing criticism his guidance to Trump represented a conflict of interests as it may have benefited CVR.
Investor Carl Icahn never wielded excessive influence on U.S. biofuels policy while acting as President Donald Trump's adviser on regulation, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said in a letter to a Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
The letter, dated September 11, was a response to repeated requests by Whitehouse and other Democratic lawmakers for information on Icahn's dual role as an adviser on biofuels regulation and a majority stakeholder in a refining company, CVR Energy, directly affected by those rules.
Maryland Clean Energy Supporters to Launch New Campaign
By Associated Press.
BALTIMORE — Clean energy supporters in Maryland are announcing a new campaign to require that 50 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2030.
California cap-and-trade spending plan sets aside $895 for clean vehicles
By Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times.
California will use cap-and-trade revenue for a massive investment in clean trucks, buses, cars and other vehicles, according to details of an agreement obtained by The Times on Monday evening.
The $1.5-billion spending plan comes less than two months after lawmakers extended the state’s cap-and-trade program, which requires companies to buy permits to emit greenhouse gases, until 2030.
By Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times.
California will use cap-and-trade revenue for a massive investment in clean trucks, buses, cars and other vehicles, according to details of an agreement obtained by The Times on Monday evening.
The $1.5-billion spending plan comes less than two months after lawmakers extended the state’s cap-and-trade program, which requires companies to buy permits to emit greenhouse gases, until 2030.
The spending negotiations included more money than usual because some was left over from the previous fiscal year, held in reserve by Gov. Jerry Brown until cap and trade’s future was secure.
Here are some highlights on how the $1.5 billion would be spent if it passes the Legislature before it adjourns for the year at the end of the week.
— The biggest-ticket item is $895 million for new vehicles, a priority repeatedly highlighted by Senate Democrats. The money would flow through a variety of programs, including $140 million to the state's ports, $85 million for farm vehicles and $140 million for electric car rebates.