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Cities, companies & governements work to make transports greener
Here’s an overview of key biogas news. Government of USA and UK works to tackle food waste and to make the transport sector greener. Colorado, New York and Belgium implement sewage to RNG, CNG fueling station or other projects with renewables. BTA International, SoCal Gas, Sea-Tac International Airport and Roma Marine Construction includes RNG, natural gas and biogas in their current projects.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
Government dishes up £5m fund for tackling food waste
Government funding will go to organisations working to redistribute surplus food from retailers and manufacturers. Food waste charities in England are being urged to pitch for a share of a £5m government fund designed to help reduce food waste, which Whitehall officials hope will increase the volume of surplus food.
Generators of biomethane can claim RHI and RTFO payments
AD plants can now viably maximise biomethane production, benefitting from the highest Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariff and “top up” with additional Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) payments, as part of a government incentivised policy for decarbonising the transport sector. This industry update follows the latest 15% degression from 1 January 2019 for RHI tariffs for biomethane and large biogas. Lucy Hopwood from the NNFCC speaks to Bionenergy Insight exclusively, ahead of her presentation on ‘Claiming RTFO and RHI on biomethane from AD’ at the Energy and Rural Business Show this February 6 and 7 at the Telford International Centre. “Up until recently, biomethane producers have generally either injected gas into the grid to receive RHI payments or they supply the transport sector and claim Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs).
Washington Lawmakers Open Debate On Clean Fuel Standard
The gas and diesel you use to fuel your car are some of the biggest sources of greenhouse gasses and air pollution in Washington. Some lawmakers want to change that. They kicked off a debate Tuesday that would require lower carbon fuels — and could cost you more. After a decade, House Bill 1110 could reduce Washington vehicles’ carbon pollution to 10 percent below 2017 levels. It would continue to reduce emissions to 20 percent below 2017 levels by 2035. “Petroleum-based fuels are by far the biggest contributor to climate change (in Washington). … This is the area with the greatest urgency that we reduce those impacts,” said Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien, and chair of the House Environment Committee.Lawmakers say this rule would be similar to other clean fuel standards already implemented in Oregon and California.
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
Sewage-to-RNG Project Commences in Longmont, Colorado
Driven by an age where sustainable resources are increasingly important, the City of Longmont has begun construction on its Biogas Treatment and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Fueling Station Project. Once complete, this innovative project will transform sewage gas from the wastewater-treatment process into sustainable fuel for the City’s trash trucks. The City will replace 11 of its diesel trash trucks with trucks capable of using RNG fuel. It is estimated that the City will offset over 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year — the equivalent of removing 200 cars from the road. In addition, by building the RNG Fueling Station, the City is also able to take advantage of valuable credits from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard program.
CNG Fuel Flourishing in Belgium
With the opening of a new Compressed Natural Gas filling station in Knokke, DATS 24 has racked up 63 stations in its growing CNG refuelling network across Belgium. The company says this is the starting signal for the opening of 25 new sites where natural gas can be refuelled across Flanders and Wallonia. Other locations include Sint-Truiden, Tienen, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Wommelgem and Ronse alongside Eupen, Beyne-Heusay, Basecles, Ath, Thuin, Frameries, Amay, Nivelles and Tournai. Cars powered by natural gas are always affordable, can be used by everyone and straightaway, contribute towards better air quality. The effect of this is that an increasing number of natural gas vehicles are being registered in Belgium.
New York sets new goals for 100% clean power, 70% renewables
On Jan. 17, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the Green New Deal, a clean energy and jobs agenda that calls for the state to achieve 100 percent clean power by 2040. It also aims to set new renewable energy mandates. Information released by the governor indicates the Green New Deal will statutorily mandate New York’s power be 100 percent carbon free by 2040. The cornerstone of the new mandate is an increase in the state’s Clean Energy Standard from 50 percent to 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030. The proposal primarily focuses on increased wind, solar and energy storage deployment. However, the plan will also “maximize the contributions and potential of New York’s existing renewable resources.”
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
BTA International Completes Organic Waste to Biogas Plant in Quebec
BTA International GmbH, a specialist for the wet-mechanical pre-treatment and subsequent digestion of organic waste containing impurities, have completed a major waste to gas facility in Varennes, Quebec. BT International GmbH, a specialist for the wet-mechanical pre-treatment and subsequent digestion of organic waste containing impurities, and its North American partner CCI BioEnergy Inc. have completed a major waste to gas facility in Varennes, Quebec. The facility is owned by the Canadian Société d’économie mixte de l’est de la couronne sud (SÉMECS), a public-private partnership between Biogaz EG and regional county municipalities (MRCs) of La Vallée-du-Richelieu, Marguerite-D’Youville and Rouville, a group of 27 area municipalities.
Read more on Waste Management World
SoCalGas and Onboard Dynamics Announce Second Demonstration of New Mobile Natural Gas Compressor
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and Onboard Dynamics, Inc. (ObDI) today announced the field demonstration of new mobile compressor technology that provides on-site backup and supplemental compression at natural gas fueling stations. The new compressor, called the GoFlo® CNG80, is now being demonstrated at the Antelope Valley School Transportation Agency in Lancaster, California, where 43 natural gas school busses refuel using the fueling station at AVSTA’s fleet yard. SoCalGas and ObDI are partnering to fund the demonstration project to validate the performance of the new mobile compressor, which they expect will further improve on-site refueling for natural gas fleet customers. Photos of the compressor are available here.
SEA-TAC TARGETS BECOMING THE US’S FIRST 100% RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS HEATED AIRPORT
The Port of Seattle’s latest environmental innovation is pushing to make Seattle-Tacoma International Airport the US’s first airport heated entirely by renewable natural gas. The Port announced a Request for Proposals last week, calling for renewable natural gas service to supply Sea-Tac Airport’s boilers and bus fueling system, which is responsible for more than 80% of the Port-owned emissions, replacing all of the current fossil natural gas. Renewable natural gas (RNG), also known as biomethane, is a natural gas produced by the decomposition of organic matter, typically produced by landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and food and animal waste digesters. “The Port can play a major role in creating a renewable natural gas market because we offer a stable, long-term use of gas,” says its director of aviation environment and sustainability, Arlyn Purcell.
€120 million LNG/biogas ferry to be constructed
Finland-based shipbuilding firm Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) has signed a letter of intent to build a car and passenger ferry which will predominantly use liquefied natural gas (LNG) through its operation course between Vassa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden. The vessel order is approximated to be valued at €120 million. “RMC won the public international tender thanks to our expert knowledge and technology,” said Jyrki Heinimaa, RMC CEO. “RMC specialises in the design and construction of car and passenger ferries. We are therefore both pleased and proud to have showcased our competence in this area. We are also very grateful for the confidence that the customer has shown in RMC, having commissioned this ferry from us.” The ferry will have machinery operating on a dual fuel and battery solution, with the main source of fuel being LNG. The ferry will also use biogas produced in Vassa.