RNG Coalition reports rapid growth in North American biogas facilities
The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas reports 433 biogas facilities are now operational in North America, a 44% increase from last year. With 436 more facilities planned or under construction, the coalition aims to reach 1,000 by 2030. Policy support, such as New Mexico’s Clean Fuel Standard, and agricultural waste projects are key drivers of growth in the renewable natural gas sector.
New stats by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas suggest more than 433 biogas facilities are up and running in North America — a figure it expects will double.
The RNG Coalition, a trade association based in Sacramento, Calif., reports 433 renewable natural gas facilities are operational in the region, up 44% from 300 facilities last year.
In addition to facilities currently online, the coalition says there’s a “robust pipeline of forthcoming projects” with another 436 facilities in various stages of planning or construction.
“We are proud of what our organization and industry have accomplished together, but we are focused on the next benchmark, and on even broader energy sector adoption of RNG as a critical component in our society’s transition to a cleaner, more sustainable future,” said coalition founder and CEO Johannes Escudero in a press release.
While technological advancements and increasing demand for low-carbon energy solutions have factored into the recent surge, the RNG Coalition says expanding policy support remains a top industry priority as it aims for 500 facilities by 2025, 1,000 by 2030 and 5,000 by 2040.
It says New Mexico’s recently launched Clean Fuel Standard program, which aims to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels, was an example of such encouraging policy growth.
The program follows similar programs implemented successfully in California, Oregon, and Washington, providing a framework for RNG projects to thrive by creating market incentives for low-carbon fuels that displace dirty diesel and other fossil fuels.
Dairy farm-to-RNG projects represent another key driver of recent facility growth, according to the release.
Agricultural waste now represents 24% of all feedstocks deployed toward RNG production, marking a new all-time high and an increase from 17% of all feedstocks just a year ago.
The RNG Coalition says California’s strides toward reducing methane emissions, including through its Low Carbon Fuel Standard program, have helped incentivize methane capture at farms across the state. More than 100 state agricultural sites are now attached to operational RNG infrastructure.
With ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors, and between legislative and regulatory bodies, the coalition says it envisions an even more significant role for RNG and other renewable gases as the region works toward cleaner air and energy for current and future generations.
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Source Link : https://www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca/rng-coalition-reports-rapid-growth-in-north-american-biogas-facilities/
