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Governments put ban of waste and renewable energy at the forefront of their politics
Here’s an overview of key biogas news.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
Massachusetts raises 2050 waste reduction target, may expand organics ban
This new draft, part of MassDEP’s regular 10-year planning process for solid waste policy, comes as disposal capacity continues to shrink in the state. According to recent analysis conducted by MSW Consultants, Massachusetts will effectively run out of landfill space by 2030 and will likely have to export more waste. Its incinerators are also running at or near capacity, and space at their necessary ash landfills is also projected to decline. MassDEP’s previous solid waste plan called for a 30% reduction in disposal by 2020, but the state only saw a 14% reduction between 2008 and 2018.
Renewable gas at forefront of Gas Networks Ireland’s 2050 plan
Gas Networks Ireland and its parent company Ervia say they will reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions by a third with their Vision 2050 plan. Through a combination of technologies, Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) explained how it can reduce Ireland’s total carbon emissions by one third and create a net zero carbon gas network. GNI’s vision is that by 2050, half of the gas on Ireland’s network will be renewable gas and hydrogen. The other half will be ‘abated gas’, where carbon dioxide (CO2) has been removed through carbon capture and storage (CCS). This will prevent CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere.
Calls grow for EU-wide certificates to boost market for ‘green gas’
The market for Guarantees of Origin (GOs) linked to renewable gas is currently in its infancy. But with demand building up, industry figures – and environmentalists – are calling for existing certification schemes to be harmonised and made mandatory across the European Union. The European market for renewable energy certificates broke new records in 2018, with the supply of Guarantees of Origin for hydro, wind and solar electricity reaching nearly 600 terawatt hours (TWh) last year. That’s according to ECOHZ, a Norwegian company that trades renewable electricity certificates, mainly in Europe and North America.
Bill Proposes Tax Credits for Biogas Systems
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to encourage investment in biodigester systems. The proposed bill, the Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Act, would help expand the market for biogas by providing a 30% investment tax credit (ITC) to help offset the upfront costs associated with building biodigester systems. The lawmakers explain that farmers across the country have a surplus of organic material, such as manure, food scraps, agricultural residue, and wastewater solids and liquids – which can be used to produce biogas for heat, electricity and vehicle fuel.
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
First natural gas station for vehicles to open in Kelowna
FortisBC and Environmental 360 Solutions (E360S) have come together to open the first 24/7 natual gas station for vehicles in Kelowna as part of its ongoing commitment to provide cleaner energy solutions for its customers. Special guest, Paul Coffey, a E360S investor and Hall of Fame NHLer, hosted the grand opening of the facility at the CNG station, located near the intersection of Baron Road and Underhill Street, on Monday. Coffey, one of the highest scoring defencemen in NHL history and a four-time Stanley Cup champion, expressed how thrilled E360S was to partner with FortisBC and to be expanding from Alberta to British Columbia in an effort to cut greenhouse gass emissions for its customers.
Read more on Lake Country Calendar
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
Anessa Wins New Brunswick Bioscience Achievement Award
A New Brunswick Biotech company is being recognized by BioNB for its contributions to the sector. BioNB, New Brunswick’s bioscience agency, awarded anessa the New Brunswick Bioscience Achievement Award on Tuesday night at their annual industry event, Innovation at the Market, where more than 100 members of the business and research community gathered to the substantial growth experienced by the province’s bioscience sector in recent years. The New Brunswick Bioscience Achievement Award is bestowed every year to an individual, company or research team, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the growth and promotion of the sector and whose contributions have helped to put New Brunswick on a national or global stage.
EIB provides €200 million to support clean urban transport in Spain
These clean transport investments will also enable the creation of thousands of jobs in relation to building the new buses, as well as during the implementation phases. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided almost €200 million to cut the polluting emissions produced by buses in Spain’s largest cities. The EU bank has been providing this financing since 2017 under the Cleaner Transport Facility, which aims to promote cleaner transport systems. This joint EIB-European Commission financing instrument is enabling cities such as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Barcelona, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca to swap their older, more polluting diesel buses for new hybrid, electric or latest generation compressed natural gas replacements.
Read more on Intelligent Transport
International praise for Qld processor’s waste-to-energy project
A FAR-SIGHTED green energy initiative made by beef processor NH Foods Australia at its Oakey Beef Exports facility on Queensland’s Darling Downs is already paying handsome dividends in terms of lower energy costs, reduced fossil fuel environmental footprint and cleaner wastewater effluent. The project received international recognition this month through finalist nominations in two energy and sustainability categories within the prestigious 2019 Institute of Chemical Engineers Global Awards. The major waste-to-energy project designed and implemented by CST Wastewater Solutions extracts green energy (biogas) from Oakey’s wastewater streams to replace millions of dollars’ worth of natural gas over its operating life Biogas extracted from the plant’s wastewater is stored in in a robust 6000 cubic metre polyester balloon (pictured).
Renewable gas or electrification? Minnesota’s high stakes experiment on building decarbonization
CenterPoint Energy proposed a green tariff for renewable natural gas that was rejected by Minnesota regulators, but the utility says the fuel is a viable path to decarbonization. Cutting carbon has become a priority for policy and business interests as demand grows for climate action. One major emitter of focus is buildings — the industrial and building sectors saw the largest carbon emissions spike of any sector in the U.S. in 2018. Cities in California have begun to look at cutting greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the commercial and residential building sector by eliminating natural gas from new buildings and focusing on electrification instead.
RESEARCHES & STUDIES
Academic: Higher carbon price needed to ramp up EU biomethane production
The price of CO2 credits on Europe’s emissions trading scheme needs to rise to around €50 per tonne in order to drive the long-term development of Europe’s biomethane industry, says Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega, a French researcher. Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega is the director of the Centre for Energy at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI). He spoke to EURACTIV’s energy and environment editor, Frédéric Simon. In Germany, incentives were cut because biogas was considered too expensive for the taxpayer – and environmentally questionable due to the sector’s over-reliance on dedicated energy crops.