RNG NEWS
D.C. council passes ambitious climate bill for 100% renewable energy by 2032
The Trump administration isn’t about renewable energy, but thanks to the Washington, D.C., city council, it could soon be running on clean power. The council passed one of the most ambitious climate bills in the country on Tuesday requiring the District to get all of its energy from renewables by 2032.
The bill was introduced in July by City Councilmember Mary Cheh and was spurred along by a group of more than 110 environmental, justice and faith groups as well as unions. While it includes a host of new climate rules, chief among them is the renewable requirement. Until Tuesday, the city’s renewable portfolio standard required utilities serving the city to increase their share of renewably generated electricity to 50 percent by 2032. The new bill ups that to 100 percent.
By Brian Kahn, Earther
DVO Inc. outlines plans for RNG dairy project
DVO Inc., a Wisconsin-based designer of anaerobic digesters, has outlined its plans for a California dairy biomethane project.
The California Public Utilities Commission, California Air Resources Board, and California Department of Food and Agriculture recently announced funding for six pilot projects in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys designed to demonstrate the collection of biomethane from dairy digesters and injection into natural gas pipelines. DVO – in partnership with JG Weststeyn Dairy, a dairy farm located in Willows, Calif. – was one of the six selected entities.
By Betsy Lillian, NGT News
New York Gov. Cuomo pledges 100% carbon-free electric by 2040
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, on Monday pledged to bring New York to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 in a speech laying out his agenda for the first 100 days of 2019.
The pledge follows the New York Public Service Commission's Friday order approving plans to implement the third stage of its Clean Energy Standard (CES), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, with 50% of the state's electricity coming from renewables by 2030. And on Thursday, the commission approved the most ambitious energy storage target in the country — 3 GW by 2030 and 1.5 GW by 2025 — as well as a target aimed at doubling utility energy efficiency progress by 2025.
By Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
Element Markets awarded top honors by Environmental Finance magazine
Element Markets was recognized for excellent client service in the carbon offset marketplace for the 7th consecutive year in Environmental Finance magazine’s 19th annual Market Rankings, which was released today.
Element Markets took top honors in three categories:
Best Trading Company, Options in North American Markets (California)
Best Trading Company, Spots & Futures in North American Markets (California)
Best Trading Company, North American Markets (RGGI)
By Element Markets
The future of the Oregon Climate Change Bill
If Oregon lawmakers are going to pass legislation to address climate change, 2019 could very well be their year.
Such legislation has been floating around the capitol in one form or another for a decade. But it remains deeply controversial because of its complexity, its potential cost to consumers and businesses, and ongoing questions over what works.
By Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian
Natural Gas Trucks as viable solution in fight against pollution
Heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks and buses total 7 percent of all vehicles on America’s roadways but account for an outsized 50 percent of all smog-precursor emissions – including nitrogen oxides, or NOx, and diesel particulate matter – and 20 percent of all transportation-related greenhouse gases, or GHGs.
Local, state and federal regulators continue to target HDVs to address the air quality issue. And for good reason. Four in 10 people in the U.S. live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s 2018 “State of the Air” report. That raises the risk of premature death and increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and asthma. This increased risk is evidenced by the fact that 25 million Americans, or 8 percent of our total population, suffer from asthma.
By Chad Lindholm, VP Clean Energy
Maryland advocates calls Gov. Larry Hogan to support Clean Energy Bill
Maryland clean energy advocates are calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to support a bill that would double the state's commitment to renewable energy.
This latest push of support for the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act comes after Hogan, along with Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, penned an opinion piece for the Washington Post calling for state action against climate change.
By Sara Swann, Delmarva Now
Xebec acquires Ontario-based air and gas service company
Xebec Adsorption Inc., a global provider of clean energy solutions is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arm’s length transactional agreement on Dec. 6 to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Compressed Air International Inc. for a purchase price of C$2,2 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, effective on Jan. 1, 2019. CAI’s principals will remain with CAI after the acquisition to optimize CAI’s integration in Xebec’s industrial compressed air treatment business.
“This acquisition will set Xebec on a path of significant growth in its industrial compressed air treatment business, while also providing future Canada-wide service, support and operations capabilities for its cleantech and renewable gas segment. Being able to provide local service, maintenance and operational support to our cleantech customers in Ontario, especially biogas upgrading customers, is a critical component to our value proposition. To be worry-free is important to customers, and knowing that experienced local service and support is available delivers that peace of mind,” Kurt Sorschak, president and CEO, Xebec Adsorption.
By Xebec Adsorption Inc, Biomass Magazine
Waga Energy partners with Veolia to inject biomethane into French Grid
French landfill gas-to-energy technology firm, Waga Energy, has teamed up with environmental services giant, Veolia, to produce biomethane from Saint-Palais landfill.
The Meylan, France based firm explained that Veolia has implemented its Wagabox® technology, to produce biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas, injected directly into the natural gas grid operated by GRDF.
By Ben Messenger, Waste Mangement World
Waga Energy & Veolia Injecting Biomethane from Landfill into French Grid
The government of BC released the CleanBC plan for climate change strategy
On December 5, 2019, the BC government released the CleanBC plan, its long-awaited update to the province's climate change strategy. The CleanBC plan establishes a pathway to achieve the province's target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% by the year 2030 (based on 2007 levels) as set out in the Climate Change Accountability Act. In 2015, BC produced approximately 62 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). A 40% reduction below 2007 levels (i.e. 67 megatonnes or Mt) will require a reduction of 27 Mt by 2030. In terms of emissions by sector, BC's transportation sector accounts for 37%, the oil and gas sector accounts for 22% and buildings 12%. The CleanBC plan describes and quantifies measures that will eliminate approximately 75%, or 18.9 Mt, of its 2030 target. Remaining reduction initiatives will be quantified over the next 18 to 24 months.
One of the key drivers for the CleanBC plan is to accommodate the development of the LNG sector in the province. The BC government estimates that the LNG Canada project in Kitimat could add up to 3.45 Mt of carbon emissions to the province's total. One of the conditions for LNG development in BC is that it fits within the province's climate commitments.
By McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Mondaq