RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Ethanol, farm groups sue EPA over refineries' biofuels exemptions
(Reuters) - A coalition of ethanol and farm groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday, challenging its decision to free three refineries, including one owned by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, from annual biofuels requirements.
The groups, including the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association, filed the challenge in a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver, according to a statement from the coalition. The lawsuit targets three waivers doled out to refineries owned by CVR Energy Inc, in which Icahn hold a majority stake, and HollyFrontier Corp.
By Chris Prentice & Jarrett Renshaw.
Clean Energy Helps City of Red Deer Buses Go Green, Keep Rolling
Following a 2014 study of green initiatives, the City of Red Deer made the decision to move its bus fleet away from diesel fuel and adopt compressed natural gas (CNG). The municipality chose CNG buses over all other bus alternatives due to their financial, operational, environmental, public health, and mobility benefits. This fleet transition included designing, building and commissioning a new CNG fueling station, as well as renovating the city’s transit garage to facilitate maintenance and indoor parking for the CNG buses.
Red Deer worked in conjunction with consultants Pura Energy and Jenmar Concepts to source an experienced equipment supplier and maintenance provider for the CNG station that would deliver the city with a high level of confidence that their CNG buses would roll out every day. Clean Energy was selected to supply the CNG station's equipment and provide on-going training and maintenance services.
Clean Fuel Vehicles Are Doing Wonders for Michigan: Report
By Betsy Lillian, NGT News.
The clean mobility sector contributes $18.8 billion to Michigan’s economy and generates over $700 million in state and local tax revenue annually, according to a new economic analysis released by Clean Fuels Michigan.
The study was conducted by Michigan-based Public Sector Consultants and analyzed various economic benefits that result from private-sector investments in research, development and commercialization of clean mobility technologies. Clean mobility includes vehicles that use less-polluting alternatives to fossil fuels, such as biofuels, propane, natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, electrification and hybrids.
Could Lifecycle Models Impact Big Change?
Lifecycle models could continue to disrupt the industry as they become more commonplace.
A lifecycle model, adapted from a model that primarily researchers use to evaluate solid waste practices, is rolling out to the public. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a user-friendly version that’s free to local and state governments and others—even though lifecycle thinking challenges how the agency has encouraged them to manage their trash.
As lifecycle models and tools become more commonplace, they could continue to disrupt the industry, as well as how goods producers operate.
By Arlene Karidis, Waste360.
Stalls, stops and breakdowns: Problems plague push for electric buses
By Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times.
When Chinese battery maker BYD Ltd. approached Southern California officials in 2008 touting ambitious plans to build electric cars, local politicians jumped at the promise of thousands of jobs and cleaner air.
In the nine years since, agencies have awarded BYD grants, subsidies and public contracts worth more than $330 million for its battery-powered buses, forklifts and trucks. The company is positioned to be a prime supplier of electric buses to the nation's second-largest system, as Los Angeles' Metro sets a 12-year deadline to abandon fossil fuels.
Interface and Element Markets Recognized by Sustainable Leadership Purchasing Council
Element Markets and Interface were recognized by the Sustainable Leadership Purchasing Council (SPLC) at their annual summit awards luncheon for their leadership in the sustainable purchasing movement. Element Markets and Interface received the prestigious Outstanding Case Study Award, which recognizes high quality case studies that document efforts to exercise and a support leadership in sustainable purchasing.
Randall Lack and John McDougal, from Element Markets, and Lisa Conway, from Interface, were in attendance to accept the award.
Exclusive: Large U.S. refiner Marathon seeks biofuel hardship waiver - sources
By Jarrett Renshaw & Chris Prentice, Reuters.
Marathon Petroleum Corp, the second-biggest refining company in the United States, has asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a hardship waiver exempting one of its facilities from the nation’s biofuels law, two sources with knowledge of the application told Reuters.
The request comes as the EPA expands its use of biofuel waivers in a way that has reduced regulatory costs for the oil industry by hundreds of millions of dollars in recent months, but which has also infuriated the powerful corn lobby.
Poop-powered trucks take to the streets of King County
Biomethane gas will fuel about 120 trucks for Recology.
Sewage is now being turned into biomethane gas, a renewable resource used instead of diesel for Recology trucks around King County.
Now, when you flush your toilet in King County you're helping fuel garbage trucks.
"Right now we are standing around the settling tanks. When you're at home, when you use your sink, shower or flush your toilet, your water is coming here," said Katelyn Hunt of King County Waste Water Division. "We need to immediately separate the water from the solid material, all that organic material."
By Alison Morrow, King5 News.
Fulcrum BioEnergy's Nevada waste-to-fuel project begins final construction phase
Fulcrum BioEnergy announced last week the start of construction for phase two of its first waste-to-fuel project, the Sierra BioFuels Plant, in Storey County, Nevada. Phase two, the biorefinery, will take MSW feedstock prepared at Sierra's Feedstock Processing Facility (FPF) — completed in 2016 during phase one — and process it into low-carbon transportation fuel.
The overall Sierra BioFuels Plant, which is anticipated to convert approximately 175,000 tons of MSW into more than 10.5 million gallons of fuel annually, is slated to begin operations in Q1 of 2020.
By Kristin Musulin, Waste Dive.
EPA: 20.78 million cellulosic RINs generated in April
The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) data for April, reporting that nearly 1.59 billion RINs were generated during the month, including more than 20.78 million cellulosic RINs.
By Erin Voegele, Ethanol Producer Magazine.
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