RNG NEWS
Twin Cities, MN region struggles with capacity for organic waste
By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.
Compost facilities in the Twin Cities region are struggling with capacity and material management, as reported by the Star Tribune. Data from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency shows that food waste being composted in the region has nearly quadrupled since 2010.
By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.
Compost facilities in the Twin Cities region are struggling with capacity and material management, as reported by the Star Tribune. Data from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency shows that food waste being composted in the region has nearly quadrupled since 2010.
Most compostable material in the region goes to just two facilities in the cities of Shakopee and Rosemount. Specialized Environmental Technologies (SET), the facility in Rosemount, is working to double its capacity for food waste, but Kevin Nordby, a co-owner of the company, appears pessimistic. "That capacity is basically going to be full as soon as I finish the construction," Nordby told the Star Tribune.
Nora Goldstein, editor of BioCycle, told Waste Dive these kinds of capacity challenges can happen depending on how well cities or regions prepare their organics infrastructure before implementing diversion goals. "But it's not necessarily like you need to step in and build 500-ton-a-day facilities," she said. "It's really looking at the capabilities and the infrastructure that you have. That's where it's this combination of anaerobic digestion and composting, in cities."
Element Markets, LLC Recognized by Environmental Finance for Work in Biogas & Renewable Fuel Marketplace
Element Markets tops Environmental Finance's annual market ranking with three wins in the Renewable Identification Certificates category.
By Element Markets, via PRNewsWire.
HOUSTON, Jan. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the 2017 18th Annual Environmental Finance Market Rankings, Element Markets, LLC ("Element Markets") was honored for its work in the renewable fuel credit marketplace with three awards:
- Best Trading Company – Renewable Identification Certificates
- Best Advisory – Renewable Identification Certificates
- Best Broker - Renewable Identification Certificates
Element Markets tops Environmental Finance's annual market ranking with three wins in the Renewable Identification Certificates category.
By Element Markets, via PRNewsWire.
HOUSTON, Jan. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the 2017 18th Annual Environmental Finance Market Rankings, Element Markets, LLC ("Element Markets") was honored for its work in the renewable fuel credit marketplace with three awards:
- Best Trading Company – Renewable Identification Certificates
- Best Advisory – Renewable Identification Certificates
- Best Broker - Renewable Identification Certificates
"Element Markets is one of the largest independent generators of D3 RINs and renewable natural gas-based LCFS Credits in the US. We have worked closely with renewable natural gas producers and obligated parties over the years to create long-term solutions designed to reduce volatility and manage risk in the renewable fuel credit markets. Given that we were nominated and recognized by our peers and clients, these awards are especially meaningful to us," said Angela Schwarz, President and CEO of Element Markets.
Xergi biogas plant wins Sustainable Ireland Award
By Xergi.
The biogas plant in Northern Ireland, Tully Quarry, close to the town of Ballymena, is currently producing biogas from 100 per cent chicken litter. At the awards ceremony Sustainable Ireland Awards, the unique Xergi project won the award for the year's best project in the energy production category.
By Xergi.
The biogas plant in Northern Ireland, Tully Quarry, close to the town of Ballymena, is currently producing biogas from 100 per cent chicken litter. At the awards ceremony Sustainable Ireland Awards, the unique Xergi project won the award for the year's best project in the energy production category.
It was a very excited director, Kevin Fitzduff, from the company Stream BioEnergy Ltd, who received the award "Best Energy Generation Award" when the year's most sustainable projects on the Irish island were in the spotlight at the awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast.
The awards ceremony is organised by the magazine Sustainable Ireland, which focuses on sustainable solutions on the Irish island.
"It has taken eight years to put the project together, and I'm very pleased that we finally got the plant up and running. We are producing energy now, and we are very pleased that we were nominated," said Kevin Fitzduff at the awards ceremony.
Turning trash into cash: Converting landfill gas to renewable natural gas creates new revenue
By Valerie Wigglesworth, Dallas News.
MELISSA — Luke Morrow looked at the 30-foot-tall candlestick flare at the Collin County landfill and saw dollar signs disappearing.
"We are burning money, and it's very painful," said the president of Morrow Renewables, which started the final phase of testing earlier this month at the landfill's new gas-to-energy plant. The plant became operational on Dec. 15.
By Valerie Wigglesworth, Dallas News.
MELISSA — Luke Morrow looked at the 30-foot-tall candlestick flare at the Collin County landfill and saw dollar signs disappearing.
"We are burning money, and it's very painful," said the president of Morrow Renewables, which started the final phase of testing earlier this month at the landfill's new gas-to-energy plant. The plant became operational on Dec. 15.
The flare burns off the gas generated by the decomposing solid waste at the landfill. It also helps control landfill odors. But with Morrow's help, that waste stream will now be a revenue stream.
The plant converts landfill gas into renewable natural gas, which will be fed into a pipeline for use at vehicle fueling stations. The technology has been around for some time, but it wasn't until recently that the Collin County landfill produced enough gas to make the project financially feasible.
Waste Management shows reduced emissions & goal for more waste-based fuel in company's annual sustainability report
By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.
Waste Management operated 6,100 trucks that run on natural gas as of the end of Q3, according to the company's 2017 sustainability report update, compared to around 5,100 at the end of 2016. Already, Waste Management has surpassed its 2020 goal of reducing fleet emissions by 15%. Emissions had been reduced 26% in 2016 using a 2007 baseline.
By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive.
Waste Management operated 6,100 trucks that run on natural gas as of the end of Q3, according to the company's 2017 sustainability report update, compared to around 5,100 at the end of 2016. Already, Waste Management has surpassed its 2020 goal of reducing fleet emissions by 15%. Emissions had been reduced 26% in 2016 using a 2007 baseline.
The company has a goal of recycling 20 million tons of material annually by 2020. In 2016, Waste Management recycled 14.7 million tons of material, meaning the company has a significant amount of ground left to cover. The company processed 14 million and 15.1 million tons in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
In addition, the company has set a goal of producing enough electricity from solar panels, landfill gas-to-energy, waste-to-energy, waste-based fuel and steam to power 2 million homes by 2020. According to the report, the company currently generated enough power for 470,000 homes in 2016 and 2017. A drop from 1.08 million in 2014 is due to the divestiture of Wheelabrator's waste-to-energy business.
Biofuels industry celebrates 10th anniversary of Energy Independence & Security Act
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
Dec. 19 marks the 10th anniversary of former President George W. Bush signing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 into law, establishing the current version of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
By Erin Voegele, Biomass Magazine.
Dec. 19 marks the 10th anniversary of former President George W. Bush signing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 into law, establishing the current version of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The RFS program was first created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was signed into law by Bush on Aug. 8, 2005. The original RFS program, often referred to as RFS1, required 4 billion gallons of ethanol to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply in 2006, increasing to 6.1 billion gallons in 2009 and 7.5 billion gallons by 2012. Two years after its original establishment, the RFS program was updated and expanded by EISA, and now requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply by 2022. The updated program, sometimes referred to as the RFS2, created nested volume requirements for cellulosic biofuels, advanced biofuels, biomass-based diesel and conventional biofuel. The U.S. EPA issued a final rule implementing the updates to the RFS program in March 2010.
Data published by the Renewable Fuels Association illustrates the significant growth in ethanol production that has been achieved since EISA was signed into law. In 2007, the U.S. produced approximately 6.52 billion gallons of ethanol. By 2016, that volume had risen to 15.33 billion gallons.
Renewable Fuel Standard sees impactful changes over past 10 years
Doomsday outcomes threatened by opponents of RFS2 simply have not materialized.
Ten years ago, on Dec. 19, 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Energy Independence & Security Act, which greatly expanded the scope and impact of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In the decade since passage, significant progress has been made towards greater energy security, cleaner air and boosting local economies, according to a new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Assn., “The RFS2: Then & Now.”
Doomsday outcomes threatened by opponents of RFS2 simply have not materialized.
Ten years ago, on Dec. 19, 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Energy Independence & Security Act, which greatly expanded the scope and impact of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In the decade since passage, significant progress has been made towards greater energy security, cleaner air and boosting local economies, according to a new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Assn., “The RFS2: Then & Now.”
The RFS requires oil companies to blend increasing volumes of renewable fuels with gasoline and diesel, culminating with 36 billion gal. in 2022.
“A decade after the RFS2 was adopted, tremendous progress has been made toward achieving the objectives of this landmark policy,” according to the analysis, which compares key data points from 2007 to 2017.
Via Feedstuffs. Read more...
Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre & BC Bioenergy Network Announce Challenge for Technologies to Convert By-products of RNG Production Into Commercially Viable Products
Via Canadian Biomass Magazine.
Dec. 19, 2017 - Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre and BC Bioenergy Network (BCBN) today announced an ARCTIC Innovation Challenge to find technologies that will convert the by-products associated with producing renewable natural gas (RNG) into commercially viable products, such as organic fertilizer.
Via Canadian Biomass Magazine.
Dec. 19, 2017 - Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre and BC Bioenergy Network (BCBN) today announced an ARCTIC Innovation Challenge to find technologies that will convert the by-products associated with producing renewable natural gas (RNG) into commercially viable products, such as organic fertilizer.
When organic waste – such as animal manure, wood waste, and municipal solid wastes – decomposes, biogas is produced which contains RNG. RNG can be a carbon neutral source of energy or even carbon negative in some cases, and can replace conventional natural gas for use in homes, businesses, and vehicles. Technologies that produce RNG from organic waste have been around for decades; however, the adoption rate by B.C. farmers has been slow due to a variety of factors, including high capital and operating costs and a return on investment that is dependent on government policy.
Making Landfill Gas-to-Energy Projects Work: For pipeline-quality gas, carbon dioxide removal is critical for high-BTU value
By Arlene Karidis, Waste 360.
The decision on what kind of landfill gas-to-energy project to go with comes with many considerations, with the cost of gas treatments being a major one. Projects to produce electricity or combined heat and electricity may require no more than removal of moisture and a few other constituents, depending on gas quality. But producing pipeline-quality natural gas gets complicated and expensive.
By Arlene Karidis, Waste 360.
The decision on what kind of landfill gas-to-energy project to go with comes with many considerations, with the cost of gas treatments being a major one. Projects to produce electricity or combined heat and electricity may require no more than removal of moisture and a few other constituents, depending on gas quality. But producing pipeline-quality natural gas gets complicated and expensive.
Primary treatments are typically all that’s required for converting to electricity or heat to be use at or near the site. Secondary treatments usually used for high-BTU or pipeline quality gas, are only done when they are mandated or to protect equipment.
“With pipeline quality, requiring more advanced treatment, capital, operational and maintenance costs would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says Milind Khire a geo-environmental engineer and professor at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.
China Launches World’s Largest Carbon Market, Stakes a Leading Role on Climate Change
By Dominique Mosbergen, Huffington Post.
As President Donald Trump’s administration takes steps backward in the world’s fight against climate change, China is ramping up its commitment.
Chinese Premier Xi Jinping on Tuesday made good on his promise to launch a national carbon market. Officials from the National Development and Reform Commission unveiled the highly anticipated emissions trading system during a conference call with industry and government representatives, the Australian Financial Review reported.
By Dominique Mosbergen, Huffington Post.
As President Donald Trump’s administration takes steps backward in the world’s fight against climate change, China is ramping up its commitment.
Chinese Premier Xi Jinping on Tuesday made good on his promise to launch a national carbon market. Officials from the National Development and Reform Commission unveiled the highly anticipated emissions trading system during a conference call with industry and government representatives, the Australian Financial Review reported.
Though not as ambitious a scheme originally touted, the program — which will cover China’s power sector in its first phase — has already overtaken the European Union carbon market as the world’s largest.
“The launching of China’s national emissions trading system is a
significant step in a long march toward a clean energy economy,” Zou Ji, president of Energy Foundation China, told HuffPost in a statement. “By launching, China sends a strong political signal internationally that China is keeping its global commitments, and is committed to the Paris Agreement.”