White House’s Proposed Budget Would Reduce Funding for Clean Energy Programs

While cutting funds for cleantech and environmental programs, the White House’s $4.4 trillion budget would increase the deficit by more than $7 trillion over time.

By Emma Foehringer Merchant and Julia Pyper, GreenTech Media.

The Trump administration released its proposed 2019 budget on Monday. The energy portion focuses on an “all-of-the-above” strategy and proposes cuts to several clean energy programs. 

Under the blueprint, the Department of Energy would see a slight bump in funding to $30.6 billion over the current $30.1 billion, but that extra cash would go to administration priorities such as modernizing the nuclear arsenal and fossil energy research and development. Other programs, like the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), would receive far less than current funding levels. 

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API urges EPA not to exempt small refiners from US biofuel mandate

San Antonio (Platts)-

The American Petroleum Institute has come out against a campaign by small refineries to avoid their obligations under the US biofuel mandate, according to a letter released Tuesday.  

More than two dozen refineries with throughput of less than 75,000 b/d have reportedly petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to get out of the Renewable Fuel Standard's blending requirements based on a provision in the law allowing the agency to make exemptions based on "severe economic harm." 

EPA has declined to answer questions about the petitions.  

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US ethanol group vows to block RFS reforms tied to refinery bankruptcy

Washington (Platts)-

The US ethanol industry should resist any attempt to weaken the federal biofuel mandate as calls to reform the policy grow ahead of its 2022 expiration and in the wake of a Philadelphia refinery's bankruptcy, Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, said Tuesday.

Dinneen said refiner Philadelphia Energy Solutions is the current "poster child for the supposed economic harm" caused by the Renewable Fuel Standard, and yet he said its troubles have little to do with ethanol.

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Clean energy is growing the economy and driving down emissions: Release of 2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

By Charles Hernick and Lisa Jacobsen, Opinion Contributors, The Hill. 

The economic expansion since 2009 is historic not just for its duration, but for the role that America’s energy sector has played in creating jobs and reducing carbon emissions. Over the past 12 months this trend has solidified and brought our domestic energy sector to its cleanest place in history.

While the energy jobs of our forefathers still exist, the most dynamic growth is now occurring in clean energy generation, according to the 2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, released this week. This includes natural gas, solar, wind, hydropower, biofuels, and waste-to-energy — and energy efficiency. Together, these sectors support 3 million jobs nationwide. 

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John Kerry visits Olympia to push climate bills in Washington legislature

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was at the Capitol on Tuesday to talk to House and Senate Democrats.

By Enrique Perez De La Rosa, NW News Network.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has been pushing hard to pass a carbon tax proposal. Though it’s been unpopular with some businesses and Republicans, on Tuesday he brought out an important ally.

Inslee invited former Secretary of State John Kerry to Olympia to lobby for his proposal. It would impose a tax of $10 per metric ton of carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption. Kerry said Washington state lawmakers have an opportunity to lead the nation by pricing carbon in a way that is fair and sensible.

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Republic Services Adds to Sustainability Awards, Named to Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies List

PHOENIX, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) is pleased to announce that the Company was recognized on the first annual Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies list. Republic is the sole recycling and solid waste services provider to be included in the rankings.

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Trump Signs Budget Bill With Relief for ‘Orphan’ Energy Technologies

After a brief government shutdown, lawmakers passed a two-year budget deal that includes several key energy provisions.

By Emma Foehringer Merchant, GreenTech Media.

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Trillium CNG Expands Offerings to Include Hydrogen Fueling

Trillium CNG to build hydrogen fueling station for Orange County Transportation Authority

HOUSTON – Trillium CNG, one of the nation’s leading providers of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle fueling facilities and part of the Love’s Family of Companies, announced plans to expand its services. The company will design, build and maintain hydrogen fueling stations. Trillium’s new services also include electric vehicle charging infrastructure, solar panel installation, and microgrid design and construction. The company will begin construction on its first hydrogen fueling station for fuel cell electric buses this summer for the Orange County Transportation Authority’s (OCTA) Santa Ana, California, facility.

“While compressed natural gas remains a high priority for Trillium, diversification of Customer needs, products and services within the transportation industry is driving our expansion,” said Bill Cashmareck, managing director of Trillium CNG. “Each alternative fueling source has its own set of benefits, and we want to meet the needs of our Customers in as many ways as possible.”

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Construction Underway for the Largest On-farm Dairy RNG Project in the U.S.

Amp Americas’ Second Anaerobic Digester Gas-to-RNG Facility to Convert Dairy Waste to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for Transportation Fuel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SACRAMENTO (February 6, 2018) – Renewable Dairy Fuels (RDF), a business unit of AMP Americas, announced today from the 2018 Rethink Methane Symposium, that construction is underway on the country’s largest on-farm anaerobic digester-to-vehicle fuel operation. Located in Fair Oaks, Indiana, the dairy project will be the company’s second biogas facility producing renewable natural gas from dairy waste for transportation fuel.

Amp Americas received the first dairy waste-to-vehicle fuel pathway certified by California's Air Resources Board (CARB) for its first RNG project at Fair Oaks Farms in northwest Indiana. The project was also awarded a Carbon Intensity (CI) score of -254.94 gCO2e/MJ, the lowest ever issued by CARB. In addition to generating renewable American energy, on-farm anaerobic digester operations improve sustainability, environmental stewardship and energy independence.

The new facility will be 50 percent larger than RDF’s operation at Fair Oaks Farms and will be operational this summer. The site is located in Jasper County, Indiana, just a few miles from Fair Oaks Farms. Every day, three digesters located at three dairy farms will convert 950 tons of dairy waste from 16,000 head of milking cows into 100 percent renewable transportation fuel. The RNG will then be injected into the NIPSCO pipeline. Each of the digesters is a DVO, Inc. designed and built Mixed Plug Flow digester.

“Transportation is now the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S., and a major source of smog-causing pollution. It is more important than ever to drive further adoption of clean and efficient domestic RNG within the trucking industry,” said Grant Zimmerman, CEO at AMP Americas. “There isn’t enough RNG being produced to meet customer demand. Our new project will help make strong headway toward closing the supply gap.”

To learn more about AMP Americas and its RDF digester projects, visit AMP Americas at the Rethink Methane Conference in Sacramento on February 7, 2018. CEO Grant Zimmerman will moderate the “Encouraging Private Investment in RNG” panel at 1:55 p.m. PST.

AMP Americas continues to expand its national footprint and to invest heavily in dairy RNG projects by partnering with dairy farmers across the country to bring more ultra-low CI gas to market. The company plans to more than double its dairy gas output by mid-2018, and aims to deliver Amp Renew, its 100 percent RNG product, to all 20 of its fueling stations as it brings on future projects.

About Amp Americas

Amp Americas operates three business units: Renewable Dairy Fuels (RDF), Amp Renew and Amp CNG. RDF produces 100% renewable natural gas from dairy waste. RDF's anaerobic digester at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana received the first dairy waste-to-vehicle fuel pathway certified by California's Air Resources Board (CARB). The project was also awarded a CI score of -254.94 gCO2e/MJ, the lowest ever issued by CARB. Amp Renew sources renewable gas from RDF and third party RNG developers to supply fuel to fleet customers through both owned and contracted station infrastructure. A member of the Department of Energy’s National Clean Fleets Partnership, Amp CNG builds, owns and operates a growing network of CNG fueling stations for long-haul trucking fleets.  Visit www.ampamericas.com.

Media Contact:

VineSprout PR for Amp Americas

Ben Pavlovic

312-961-3919

ben@vinesprout.com

Republic, Waste Management recognized in 'Sustainability Yearbook'

Republic Services was recognized in the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook with a "gold" rating, one of only eight companies in North America to earn that distinction. "We take great pride in our role as responsible stewards of the nation's recycling and waste materials," CEO Don Slager said in a statement.

Waste Management earned a "bronze" rating. No other North American waste and recycling companies were included.

By Cody Boteler, Waste Dive. 

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