RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Landfill Biogas Must Be Part of Aviation's Net-Zero Future
The recently concluded holiday travel season came with a new twist: Society’s collective interest in combating the global climate crisis is intensifying just as the aviation industry itself acts with renewed urgency to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Underscoring the point, leaders from 23 nations recently formed the International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition with a commitment to reduce emissions and develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Closer to home, the White House unveiled a multi-agency roadmap to net-zero for the U.S. aviation industry. Commercial aviation contributes approximately 2% to 3% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
So, what are the viable, realistic options to enable a more sustainable future for the U.S. aviation sector in the short to medium term? We believe one answer is methane — specifically, SAF derived from biogas methane.
Cummins Completes 50% Acquisition of Momentum Fuel Technologies
Cummins Inc. and Rush Enterprises, Inc. have closed on Cummins’ acquisition of 50% equity interest in Momentum Fuel Technologies from Rush Enterprises. The joint venture between Rush Enterprises and Cummins will seek to enhance production of near-zero emissions natural gas powertrains by manufacturing Cummins-branded natural gas fuel delivery systems for the commercial vehicle market in North America.
The new company combines the strengths of Momentum Fuel Technologies’ compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel delivery systems and Cummins’ powertrain expertise. When powered by renewable natural gas (RNG), using methane collected from organic waste as the primary fuel source, the engines can be credited with a neutral to negative carbon index, resulting in net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at or below zero.
Macquarie Capital Forms RNG Platform
Macquarie Capital, the corporate advisory, capital markets and principal investing arm of Macquarie Group, announced the launch of Aerogy, a platform that develops, operates and invests in renewable natural gas (RNG) infrastructure projects.
Aerogy delivers a suite of innovative energy solutions through project development, financing, construction and commercial operation as well as subsequent project expansions with a focus on renewable natural gas. By investing in breakthrough energy solutions that convert organic material and waste into renewable fuel, Aerogy is targeting investments that help reduce emissions and support the lower carbon economy transition.
Enchanted Rock to Supply Dual-Purpose Microgrids to Three Retirement Center Management Facilities in Houston-Area
Retirement Center Management, one of the nation's leading senior housing operators, announced that three of its Houston-area facilities have selected Enchanted Rock to provide and operate dual-purpose backup microgrids to protect them from outages and grid disruptions, such as those that occurred last winter.
Enchanted Rock fuels all of its microgrids with natural gas supplied from the underground gas infrastructure, which helps ensure its microgrids can provide continuous electrical resiliency. The company recently announced all of its customers have the option to use Renewable Natural Gas for their resiliency service, which results in zero or negative carbon equivalent emissions.
Northwest Natural Study: Renewable Natural Gas Sees Strong Support in the Northwest
A new survey conducted for NW Natural by DHM Research, an independent, leading opinion research firm, shows that 77% of Oregon and Southwest Washington voters overwhelmingly want access to all forms of renewable energy - hydro, wind, solar and renewable natural gas - for a balanced, low-carbon future. Renewable natural gas is rapidly expanding. In the first year of procuring renewable energy for its customers, NW Natural now has signed agreements with options to purchase or develop renewable natural gas totaling 3% of NW Natural's annual sales volume in Oregon.
Archaea Energy Works To Turn Old Town Landfill Emissions Into a Renewable Energy Source
A Pennsylvania company is working to build a facility that would turn the methane released by decomposing trash at the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town into pipeline-quality natural gas.
The company, Archaea Energy, hopes to refine the methane that’s produced at the landfill and turn it into renewable natural gas that the company would then release into local pipelines. The company has also floated using the gas as a fuel source for trucks and buses.
AIMPERA Completes Strategic Investment in Novilla RNG
AIMPERA Fund III has completed a majority equity investment in Novilla Investment Holdings, LLC. This investment will be used to scale Novilla RNG's operations and execute on its pipeline of dairy renewable natural gas production facilities across the U.S.
7 Things To Know About Renewable Natural Gas
A new research paper by WRI examines the potential of renewable natural gas as a climate strategy. The paper provides detailed guidance on assessing renewable natural gas potential and climate impacts, evaluating its role in decarbonization and identifying effective policy frameworks for project development.
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection and City of Meriden Announce Food Scrap Co-Collection Pilot Program
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the City of Meriden announced the launch of “Making Meriden Green,” a first-of-its-kind municipal food scrap co-collection pilot program that will demonstrate how waste diversion and reduction solutions can help to address the statewide waste disposal crisis. The pilot, funded through a $40,000 DEEP Save Money and Reduce Trash (SMART) grant, will enroll 1,000 Meriden households in a free four-month program to test an innovative way of separating valuable organic material from other household waste. Food scraps and other organic waste will be collected and transported to Quantum Biopower, where it will be transformed into renewable energy (biogas) through anaerobic digestion, or composted for use as nutrient-rich soil or fertilizer.
Where Others See Waste, Waste Management’s New CSO Sees Opportunity
In January 2018, China banned the import of most plastics and paper that other countries, primarily the U.S. and Europe, had been sending its way. The move sent the global recycling market into a tailspin.
It looked pretty bad, but America’s recycling system didn’t die the untimely death some predicted. In fact, according to Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer for Waste Management, business is booming. Waste Management is North America’s largest recycling company.
GreenBiz sat down with Hemmer to talk about her new role, Waste Management’s investments in next-generation recycling technology, the progress the industry has made over the last few years, and the demand driving the industry forward.
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