RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Building Electrification is Key to a Safe Climate Future
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is clear: In order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, the world must dramatically reduce its carbon emissions and prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius. To achieve this, we must halve carbon emissions by 2030 and aim to fully decarbonize ("deep decarbonization") by 2050.
There’s new policy momentum around this pressing task, with ambitious proposals from presidential candidate Joe Biden, congressional Democrats and others recommending a suite of policies across all sectors of the economy. In order to achieve the necessary emissions cuts in the stubborn buildings sector, a broad swath of research concludes the same thing: The lowest-cost pathway to eliminate direct emissions from commercial and residential buildings is to electrify.
By GreenBiz
Renewable Natural Gas, the Energy Source Nobody's Talking About
The search for cleaner energy sources for transportation has taken trucking in some interesting directions, but one source is often overlooked or even dismissed: renewable natural gas. It's methane gas produced by decomposing organic matter from sources like landfills, dairy farms, and wastewater treatment plants. It can be economically collected and used to power trucks. It's already a source of fuel for many refuse collection fleets. Hugh Donnell of Cummins Westport, maker of the engines that turn this harmful waste gas into motive power, describes the challenges and benefits of wider RNG adoption as a truck fuel.
By HDT Talks Trucking
RFA Comments on Colorado GHG Reduction Plan
In September, Colorado released a public comment draft of its Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap which details proposed steps the state can take toward meeting the near-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution 26% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
Noting that transportation is one of the largest sources of GHG pollution, the Colorado plan suggests:
Transitioning to close to 100% electric cars on the road by 2050 and 100% market share for new vehicle sales of zero emissions trucks and buses by 2050; and
Adopting lower carbon fuels including advanced biofuels, renewable natural gas and hydrogen for hard to electrify sectors such as aviation and some heavy trucks.
In comments on the plan submitted Friday, Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Kelly Davis, told the Colorado Energy Office that the internal combustion engine is “far from dead – the fuel just needs to be changed” with a low-carbon or clean fuel standard that can help Colorado slash greenhouse gas pollution.
By Cindy Zimmerman,
Federal Regulators Take Notes from Wisconsin Farmers
Raised in America's Dairyland, David Ross, assistant administrator of the EPA Office of Water, remembers sitting in a meeting with other key players in the federal agency discussing nutrient management plans.
"Just out of curiosity I asked how many of them had ever written an NMP. Just two hands went up and one of them was mine," Ross said. "No one else in the room had ever written one, applied for one or worked with an agronomist creating one."
At that moment Ross decided it was important for EPA officials to get out of the office and get in touch with those dealing with all of the federal regulations.
By Colleen Kottke, Wisconsin State Farmer
Study: Natural Gas Refuse Trucks Versus Battery Electric...What's More Green?
NGVAmerica released a study at its Annual Industry Summit presenting a compelling case for why communities should continue to invest in new near-zero natural gas technology. Using New Jersey as a case study, NGVAmerica analyzed the costs and impact of transitioning that state’s entire 10,000 refuse truck fleet from diesel to both natural gas and battery electric.
Not only do natural gas vehicle (NGV) refuse trucks – fueled by renewable natural gas (RNG), or biomethane, derived from above ground sources – outperform their electric counterparts when it comes to total NOx emission reductions well-to-wheel, they reduce more harmful CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in total than the battery electric alternative. In terms of criteria pollutants, the NGV fleet reduce 14,000 tons of NOx compared to only 9,700 tons for the battery fleet. In terms of GHGs, NGVs reduce 10.6 million tons of CO2. The all-electric fleet only achieves a 9.2 million-ton GHG reduction.
By HDT Truckinginfo
With Transportation, We Should Stay Focused on the Prize of Clean Air
At first glance, it appears that California is once again leading by example in battling climate change and providing clean air to those that need it most. However, for residents of Los Angeles and the Central Valley who currently breathe the dirtiest air in the country, the governor’s September executive order to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars doesn’t go far enough.
The executive order’s goals are 15 and 25 years away. So it begs the question, what should California do between now and then? How is the state going to provide clean air to this generation?
By CalMatters
Xebec Expands Cleantech Service Network with Acquisition of Pennsylvania Based The Titus Company
Xebec Adsorption Inc. (TSXV: XBC) (“Xebec”), a global provider of clean energy solutions, is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement effective October 30th, 2020, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of “The Titus Company” (Titus). Titus’ principals will remain with Titus after the acquisition to optimize their integration into Xebec’s Industrial Service and Support business and to grow the operation over the coming years. With this acquisition, Xebec’s Cleantech Service Network (CSN) coverage will increase to include Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
Total consideration payable by Xebec is approximately $8.0M, subject to certain holdbacks, adjustments and time-based payments. Titus had revenues of $12.3 million for FY2019 with an EBITDA margin of approximately 13.5%. Titus is on track and expected to achieve similar revenue and profitability for FY2020. As with other acquisitions, Xebec expects that Titus’ growth and profitability could be improved with product, sourcing and back-office synergies.
By Global News Wire
LS Power Invests in US Landfill RNG Projects
US power and energy infrastructure firm LS Power has invested in a portfolio of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects.
LS Power partnered with The Landfill Group, a North Carolina-based developer and operator of landfill gas projects, to jointly develop a portfolio of landfill-gas-to-RNG projects throughout the US. The firm has also acquired an interest in a landfill-gas-to-RNG project in Lawrence, Kansas, operated by The Landfill Group.
The projects have long-term contracts with host landfills and convert landfill gas gathered onsite into pipeline-quality RNG. The RNG is then procured by utilities, gas marketers, compressed natural gas vehicle owners and others who are moving toward renewable fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
By Bioenergy Insight
RNG Revolution
As un-presented wildfires ravage California—shattering records of total acres of land burned by more than double, and by early October, surpassing 4 million acres just this year—discussions of climate change mitigation efforts are becoming louder and more pressing than ever. Particularly for those feeling the heat when it comes reducing carbon footprints, interest in renewable natural gas (RNG) as an alternative vehicle fuel is an all-time high, and for good reason. Not only does it meet the most stringent emissions requirements, but for utilities and companies at which large vehicle fleets are essential for operating, making the switch is relatively easy and inexpensive. Announcements of transitions for large vehicle fleets are made almost daily—for example, in early September, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority inked a deal with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to fuel the MTA’s 800 transit buses with RNG. Less than a week later, CEFC announced that, in just a 45-day period, it had made new and extended deals for the supply of more than 20 million gallons of RNG for municipal and refuse vehicle fleets and fueling stations across the country.
By Biomass Magazine
UK Food Waste Recycler Expecting to Process 10 Tonnes of Pumpkins
Food waste recycler Warrens Group says more than 10 tonnes of perfectly edible pumpkins are likely to end up at its facility in County Durham, UK.
The firm will recycle the pumpkins to fuel its growing fleet of collection vehicles and heat peoples’ homes.
Environmental charity Hubbub predicts an estimated 12.8 million pumpkins will be wasted in the UK this year. Kevin Quigley, commercial director at Warrens Group, is urging people to recycle their pumpkins to generate renewable power.
By Bioenergy News
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