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Governments Choose to Invest in Green Energy & Technology To Boost the Economic Recovery
Here’s an overview of key biogas news.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
Biofuels essential for fulfilling Germany’s national climate targets – BBE
The German Federal Government’s six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union began on July 1, 2020. As a goal of its agenda, the Federal Government stated that it wishes to “work towards climate-friendly, sustainable and affordable mobility”. The Bundesverband Bioenergie e.V. (BBE) welcome this objective and point out that openness to technological ideas and the sustainably available potential of biofuels need to be considered in order to fulfil national climate protection targets. According to Bundesverband Bioenergie e.V. (BBE), the umbrella association of the German federal bioenergy industry, the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union must set the course for a future-proof biofuel sector
Read more on Bioenergy International
Oregon PUC adopts rules for RNG program
The Public Utilities Commission of Oregon on July 16 adopted initial rules to implement a bill signed into law last year that sets voluntary renewable natural gas (RNG) goals for the state’s natural gas utilities. The bill, SB 98, was signed into law by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on July 15, 2019. It encourages the state’s large and small natural gas utilities to supply RNG to customers and outlines goals for adding as much as 30 percent RNG into the state’s natural gas pipeline system. The rules adopted by the PUC allow Oregon utilities to procure RNG for delivery to their customers and sets voluntary targets of 5
Boosting the EU’s Green Recovery: EU invests over €2 billion in 140 key transport projects to jump-start the economy
The EU is supporting the economic recovery in all Member States by injecting almost €2.2 billion into 140 key transport projects. These projects will help build missing transport links across the continent, support sustainable transport and create jobs. The projects will receive funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU’s grant scheme supporting transport infrastructure. With this budget, the EU will deliver on its climate objectives set out in the European Green Deal. A very strong emphasis is on projects reinforcing railways, including cross-border links and connections to ports and airports.
Read more on European Commission’s Website
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
CRD treatment plant that converts human waste to biofuel nearly complete
The new Residuals Treatment Facility (RTF) located at the Hartland Landfill is nearly complete, which will mark the final piece of the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) vast sewage puzzle. The purpose of the massive facility is to turn what’s left of your waste into an alternative energy source. Once sewage has been treated through a three-stage treatment process at the Mcloughlin Sewage Treatment Plant, the solids that are leftover will get pumped to the RTF for a complete transformation. “You have micro-organisms there that breakdown those solids further and produces biogas,” said Elizabeth Scott, deputy project director with the CRD Core Area Wastewater Treatment Project.
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
Meridiam develops first US biogas project
Meridiam has entered into an agreement to develop a biodigester project, located in the State of Idaho near Twin Falls, together with Sevana Bioenergy, as development partner, service provider and long-term co-investor. Meridiam and Sevana will combine their expertise in project development and long-term asset management to focus on creating significant added value to this existing facility. The project consists of the acquisition of an existing biogas facility which has been in operation since 2011.
Lethbridge Biogas undergoing $7-million expansion
A local biofuel plant will soon be able to supply more fuel to the Lethbridge area and expand into the B.C. market. Located on the eastern edge of the city, Lethbridge Biogas produces renewable electricity through the use of organic resources like manure and food processing by-products. The expansion will introduce the company into the natural gas market by allowing biogas to be purified into pipeline-grade biomethane. The fuel will be supplied into ATCO’s natural gas grid and to FortisBC. Once the expansion is completed, Lethbridge Biogas will have the first full-scale, commercial renewable natural gas application in Alberta.
Read more on Lethbridge News Now
ABC to testify before House Agriculture Committee
Tomorrow, American Biogas Council Director Bryan Sievers will testify in front of the House Committee on Agriculture about “On Farm Energy Production: Impacts on Farm Income and Rural Communities.” An Iowa farmer, Sievers is owner and operator of Sievers Family Farms and the award-winning AgriReNew biogas system which recycles beef cattle manure, corn stover, and local food processing waste into renewable electricity and soil products. His testimony includes the importance of how several federal programs, including those in the Farm Bill’s rural development and energy programs, plus the Renewable Fuel Standard, support on-farm energy production and growth of the biogas industry.
FortisBC implementing a Clean Growth Innovation Fund
FortisBC is implementing a Clean Growth Innovation Fund to help accelerate work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of its strategy to support the transformation to a lower carbon economy. FortisBC recently received approval from its regulator, the British Columbia Utilities Commission, to implement this Fund as part of its 2020-24 Multi-Year Rate Plan. Starting August 1, 2020, FortisBC will commit $4.9 million dollars per year until 2024 to the Fund, which will help FortisBC work with government and industry to advance projects that are expected to help decarbonize its natural gas supply and accelerate climate action.
RESEARCHES & STUDIES
New single-phase catalyst turns renewable and waste carbon into clean high-performance bio-blendstock
A new single-phase catalyst that enables the conversion of renewable and waste carbon into sustainable diesel fuels has been developed through a unique collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and two US Department of Energy (DOE) consortia, Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy (ChemCatBio) and the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative. Researchers used reductive etherification chemistry to convert alcohol and ketone substrates derived from microbial carboxylic acids into an ether bio-blendstock for use when blended into conventional diesel fuel.
Read more on Bioenergy International
BP chief forecasts 10-fold increase in US biogas production by 2030
BP’s Vice President Strategic Development, Global Environmental Products Harrison Clay has forecast US biogas production will increase 10-fold by 2030. Addressing a webinar hosted by Thomson Reuters, Mr Clay said, “Over the next decade I would hope at a minimum that the sector would keep growing at the rates it has. That would mean billions of gallons (equivalent) of renewable natural gas (RNG). “By 2030 I think a very large volume will be used in non-vehicle markets – maritime, rail, utilities, high-heat applications and heavy industry. We’ll see RNG grow another tenfold by 2030.