RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Washington state House Committee Approves Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Sends Bill to House for Vote
By Phuong Le, Associated Press, via The News Tribune.
A Washington state House committee on Tuesday approved a measure that would require fuel producers and importers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with gasoline and other transportation fuels.
By Phuong Le, Associated Press, via The News Tribune.
A Washington state House committee on Tuesday approved a measure that would require fuel producers and importers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with gasoline and other transportation fuels.
Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, a Seattle Democrat who sponsored House Bill 2338, said it's an opportunity to reduce air pollution, spur clean fuel technologies and carbon emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for the largest share of the state's total greenhouse gas emissions.
The House environment committee passed the measure 5-4 along party lines. It now awaits a vote by the full House.
California Utilities Issue Draft Solicitation for Dairy Biomethane Pilot Projects
PR NewsWire, via Markets Insider.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Southwest Gas jointly issued a draft solicitation yesterday for dairy biomethane pilot projects under California Senate Bill (SB) 1383. Proposed projects must demonstrate an ability to capture and process biogas from dairy cows to produce renewable natural gas, which can replace traditionally sourced natural gas for generating electricity, heating homes and fueling vehicles. At least five projects will be selected.
PR NewsWire, via Markets Insider.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Southwest Gas jointly issued a draft solicitation yesterday for dairy biomethane pilot projects under California Senate Bill (SB) 1383. Proposed projects must demonstrate an ability to capture and process biogas from dairy cows to produce renewable natural gas, which can replace traditionally sourced natural gas for generating electricity, heating homes and fueling vehicles. At least five projects will be selected.
The draft solicitation is the first step in a new program created under SB 1383 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which has been directed to reduce methane emissions from agriculture in the state by 2030.
"This is an exciting first step to building the market for renewable natural gas," said Lisa Alexander, vice president of customer solutions and communications for SoCalGas. "Renewable natural gas, with its ability to turn methane emissions into a source of energy, is a critical element of a comprehensive approach to climate change, and we look forward to supporting these efforts."
City of Los Angeles Contracts Applied LNG to Supply Renewable Natural Gas for Fleet's Natural Gas Vehicles
By NGV Global.
The City of Los Angeles has taken another step toward meeting Southern California’s stringent air-quality goals by contracting Applied LNG to supply renewable liquefied natural gas (RLNG) to fuel their fleet of natural gas vehicles. The California-based energy solutions provider will deliver fuel to multiple Los Angeles LNG/LCNG stations where it will be dispensed as LNG or compressed natural gas (CNG).
By NGV Global.
The City of Los Angeles has taken another step toward meeting Southern California’s stringent air-quality goals by contracting Applied LNG to supply renewable liquefied natural gas (RLNG) to fuel their fleet of natural gas vehicles. The California-based energy solutions provider will deliver fuel to multiple Los Angeles LNG/LCNG stations where it will be dispensed as LNG or compressed natural gas (CNG).
Renewable Natural Gas (RNG or biomethane) is a naturally formed gas captured at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities and anaerobic digestion plants, that would otherwise have been released into the atmosphere. Derived from the natural breakdown of organic matter, the methane is captured, purified and upgraded to pipeline-quality natural gas for dispensing at fueling stations.
Anaheim adds biogas contract to power portfolio
By Orange County Register.
Anaheim Public Utilities will help meet the city’s renewable energy goals through a 20-year agreement to purchase biomethane from the Inland area.
Second FuelCell Energy Product Using On-Site Biogas Achieves California Air Resources Board Distributed Generation (DG) Certification
By Globe NewsWire.
2.8MW SureSource 3000 certification follows certification of 1.4MW SureSource 1500 last year
These power plants are the only distributed generation solutions to achieve CARB DG Certification on Anaerobic Digester Gas under the California Distributed Generation Program 2013 Waste Gas Standards.
SureSource power plant solutions include FuelCell Energy’s proprietary biogas treatment technology to provide a comprehensive equipment and service solution for conversion of on-site biogas to clean renewable power.
2018 could result in wave of West Coast carbon pricing
By Gregory Suggs, Reuters.
SEATTLE (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - If elected officials get their way, the entire West Coast of North America could be putting a price on pollution by the end of this year.
As state legislature sessions opened this month, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee called for a carbon tax and Oregon legislators proposed a “cap and invest” system.
By Gregory Suggs, Reuters.
SEATTLE (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - If elected officials get their way, the entire West Coast of North America could be putting a price on pollution by the end of this year.
As state legislature sessions opened this month, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee called for a carbon tax and Oregon legislators proposed a “cap and invest” system.
Both policies are designed to make industrial emitters of carbon dioxide pay some of the costs of damage caused by growing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and to create incentives for them to reduce emissions.
Carbon dioxide emissions are one of the major drivers of human-caused climate change.
Tax Extender Issue Regarding Carbon Emissions Reporting Rollback Tests Alliance
By Dean Scott, Bloomberg.
A GOP-led effort to offer simpler greenhouse gas emissions reporting for oil and gas operations that capture and store carbon dioxide—part of a Senate tax extenders package—is testing a bipartisan coalition backing more generous tax credits.
By Dean Scott, Bloomberg.
A GOP-led effort to offer simpler greenhouse gas emissions reporting for oil and gas operations that capture and store carbon dioxide—part of a Senate tax extenders package—is testing a bipartisan coalition backing more generous tax credits.
The tax extender bill, introduced last month by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), would extend several expired tax credits for renewable energy and biodiesel and also would significantly increase credits for carbon capture and storage efforts under Section 45Q of the tax code.
Boosting carbon capture credits is backed by the oil and gas industry and an unlikely alliance of Democratic climate hawks such as Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and Republican climate policy critics such as Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming.
Waste Management tapped to process Portland, OR food scraps
Metro has commenced negotiations to site a plant that converts the region's food scraps into energy near Portland's sewage treatment plant in North Portland.
By Steve Law, Portland Tribune.
On Jan. 5, Metro selected Waste Management, the nation's largest garbage company, to build an anaerobic digester to process food scraps into energy. Waste Management is teaming with the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, which operates the Columbia Boulevard Wastewaster Treatment Plant at 5001 N. Columbia Blvd.
Metro has commenced negotiations to site a plant that converts the region's food scraps into energy near Portland's sewage treatment plant in North Portland.
By Steve Law, Portland Tribune.
On Jan. 5, Metro selected Waste Management, the nation's largest garbage company, to build an anaerobic digester to process food scraps into energy. Waste Management is teaming with the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, which operates the Columbia Boulevard Wastewaster Treatment Plant at 5001 N. Columbia Blvd.
Waste Management, based in Houston, has developed a technology that uses food scraps to boost the energy created by converting sewage into biogas.
Anaerobic digesters deploy bacteria in airless chambers to break down food and other organic material and convert it to biogas, which can then be used for vehicle fuel, natural gas or electricity.
How Loci Controls Partners with Landfill Gas Project Operators like Aria Energy to Automate Methane Gas Collection
Loci Controls monitors collection wells remotely, measuring for pressure, temperature and gas composition, among metrics.
By Arlene Karidis, Waste 360.
Aria Energy, the Michigan-based designers and operators of landfill gas projects, has 110 gas collection wells and, until recently, a plant technician was required to walk around with a handheld device tuning them to optimize production while reducing emissions.
“That took a lot of time. Plus when there’s a problem, you’re more reactive than proactive because you aren’t typically aware of it until later—sometime weeks later, “says Peter Britton, corporate gas processing manager at Aria Energy.
Today, the company leverages a system called Loci Controls that monitors collection wells remotely, measuring for pressure, temperature and gas composition, among metrics. The valve automatically adjusts to help maximize methane gas collection, and the system sends alerts when there are system problems. An online map displays the wells and pinpoints where and what the problem is.
Onboard Dynamics Announces Launch of Mobile Natural Gas Compressor and Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Linamar Corporation
Volume commercial production of new GoFlo™ CNG-80 compressor planned for 2018
BEND, Ore. – January 11, 2018 – Onboard Dynamics (ObDI), an innovator in alternative refueling technologies, today announced the launch of its GoFloTM CNG-80 mobile natural gas compressor for commercial use. To meet the anticipated worldwide demand, ObDI has formed a strategic business relationship with Linamar Corporation, a diversified global manufacturing company, to provide expanded capabilities as the exclusive manufacturer of the GoFlo product.
Volume commercial production of new GoFlo™ CNG-80 compressor planned for 2018
BEND, Ore. – January 11, 2018 – Onboard Dynamics (ObDI), an innovator in alternative refueling technologies, today announced the launch of its GoFloTM CNG-80 mobile natural gas compressor for commercial use. To meet the anticipated worldwide demand, ObDI has formed a strategic business relationship with Linamar Corporation, a diversified global manufacturing company, to provide expanded capabilities as the exclusive manufacturer of the GoFlo product.
“We believe the lower cost and flexibility of our mobile natural gas compressor will greatly increase the attractiveness of operating vehicles, especially trucks and buses, on clean, abundant, inexpensive domestic natural gas,” said Rita Hansen, CEO of Onboard Dynamics. “Because it is self-powered, the GoFlo compressor provides cost saving and new capabilities to the CNG industry.”
The compression capacity of the GoFlo CNG-80 compressor makes it cost-effective for smaller fleets of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, as well as for the initial deployment of CNG vehicles in larger fleets. Because of the compressor’s modular design, fleet operators can expand their CNG vehicle inventory by adding GoFlo units as demand increases, without needing costly electrical power upgrades. The GoFlo compressor is also easy to relocate in the event that a CNG fleet needs to be redeployed, and the unit can serve as a backup to dedicated CNG refueling stations. In addition, freedom from electricity strengthens the operating reliability of CNG fleets in the event of a natural disaster.
With the support of the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E program, the technology on which the GoFlo CNG-80 system is based has been under development for nearly four years. A limited number of GoFlo CNG-80 systems will be available for delivery the second quarter of 2018 before production ramps up the second half of the year.
“Linamar’s manufacturing capabilities, commercialization expertise, and customer relationships are invaluable to our efforts at Onboard Dynamics,” said Hansen. “With its technical know-how rooted in the expertise of McLaren Engineering, the Linamar team has already sped up the timeline for achieving necessary volume capability.”
About Onboard Dynamics, Inc.
Onboard Dynamics, Inc. seeks to lower fuel costs and carbon emissions by removing barriers to driving natural gas-powered vehicles. Its product line integrates natural gas compression into automotive engines, allowing cost-effective compression of natural gas from any low pressure supply line or renewable natural gas source. Founded in 2013, Onboard Dynamics is based in Bend, Oregon. Several patents covering the company’s innovative technologies are being pursued.
About Linamar Corporation
Linamar Corporation (TSX:LNR) is a diversified global manufacturing company of highly engineered products powering vehicles, motion, work and lives. The Company is made up of 2 operating segments – the Powertrain/Driveline segment and the Industrial segment, which are further divided into 5 operating groups – Machining & Assembly, Light Metal Casting, Forging, Skyjack and Agriculture, all world leaders in the design, development and production of highly engineered products. The Company’s Machining & Assembly, Light Metal Casting and Forging operating groups focus on precision metallic components, modules and systems for powertrain, driveline and body systems designed for global electrified and traditionally powered vehicle and industrial markets. The Company’s Skyjack and Agriculture operating groups are noted for their innovative, high quality mobile industrial equipment, notably its class-leading aerial work platforms, telehandlers and agricultural equipment. With more than 25,700 employees in 59 manufacturing locations, 6 R&D centers and 21 sales offices in 17 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia, Linamar generated sales of $6.0 billion in 2016. For more information about Linamar Corporation and its industry leading products and services, visit www.linamar.com or follow the company on Twitter at @LinamarCorp.
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