The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition) commenced the North American renewable natural gas (RNG or biomethane) industry’s annual conference program in Dana Point, California by celebrating industry growth and recognizing twelve companies for their development roles in eight of the RNG production facilities completed across the U.S. in 2018.
This year, the growing sustainable energy and fuel industry that converts renewable organic waste streams into drop-in, substitute, pipeline-quality natural gas celebrated several milestones. Launching a new map earlier this year, the industry surpassed 85 RNG production facilities in North America, up from the 41 facilities built between 1982 and 2014. The RNG Coalition, the industry’s nonprofit trade association, supplied the lead statement on sustainable energy in the leading climate change publication at the G7 Summit in Canada. Launching with eight members in 2011, the RNG Coalition commemorated surpassing the 150 member milestone this fall.
Production facilities and companies celebrated in today’s ribbon-cutting include (Project location– Companies):
Amsterdam, OH – Air Liquide & Montauk Energy
Angleton, TX – DTE Biomass Energy & Morrow Renewables
Humble, TX – Air Liquide, Montauk Energy & Waste Management
Jasper, IN – Amp Americas
Perris, CA – Greenlane Biogas & SoCalGas
Roosevelt, WA – Klickitat Public Utility District & Morrow Renewables
SE Oklahoma City, OK – Aria Energy & Republic Services
Walnut, MS – Air Liquide & Vilter Manufacturing
Among remarks provided from each company at today’s event, Randy Beck, Senior Director at Waste Management said: “Waste Management is proud and excited to be part of the continued growth of the renewable natural gas industry. For us, RNG is an optimal drop-in fuel solution for the trucks that service our customers every day, nationwide. Public awareness and reception toWaste Management’s sustainable approach using RNG to service our communities has been increasingly positive.”
Chet Benham, CEO of Air Liquide Advanced Technologies US LLC, said: “The opening of new biomethane facilities in the U.S. helps further enable the transformation to meet changing energy needs of the future and supports a growing economy with sustainable solutions for reducing carbon and GHGs. Air Liquide’s ability to participate in the entire biogas value chain, from production to distribution, positions us to well support the growth of this important industry and help provide customers and communities with greater access to reliable sustainable energies.”
Grant Zimmerman, CEO of Amp Americas, said: “Our industry is growing rapidly, and we’ve only begun to tap the remarkable opportunity to produce transportation fuel from waste on dairy farms across the country. Converting dairy waste into transportation fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 100 percent when compared to diesel, improves air quality and sustainability, improves farm profitability, creates well-paying rural jobs, and saves fleets money. Amp’s facilities in Indiana are producing at a rate of over 4 million diesel gallon equivalents of RNG per year, and we’re excited to be working on projects that will continue to grow our production in 2019, 2020 and beyond.”
The RNG 2018 conference runs through Thursday, December 6 at the Monarch Beach Resort. The 365 preregistered conference attendees, representing over 170 companies and organizations, set a new high mark for the RNG industry’s annual event.