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Food Waste and RNG at the heart of governments policies!
Here’s an overview of key biogas news.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
New Scotland-wide campaign to cut food waste and curb climate change
A NEW campaign has been launched to push for a collaborative recycling effort and cut Scotland’s food waste by a third by 2025. A first of its kind pilot project has been launched by Zero Waste Scotland to provide dedicated food waste reduction support across Dundee, Angus and Fife as part of an innovative regional collaboration designed to meet the Scottish Government’s goal of cutting food waste by 297,000 tonnes a year. The two-year scheme will see a regional food waste officer working with small and micro businesses, schools, colleges, universities and community groups, with the aim of meeting targets set by the Scottish Government. It forms part of a wider campaign by the Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland launched on Wednesday to help turn food waste from ‘enemy to energy’ at the Food Sharing Hub in Edinburgh.
Read more on The Herald Scotland
Renewable Natural Gas now part of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard
At a carbon intensity level equal to or even less than electric vehicle power, FortisBC’s Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) has been approved by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources for inclusion within the province’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The LCFS supports the responsible development of B.C.’s low-carbon natural gas resources to provide domestic solutions to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. “FortisBC is committed to advancing a low-carbon future for the province by tackling emissions from the transportation sector,” says Douglas Stout, vice-president, external relations and market development, FortisBC.
Federal government unveils food waste reduction plan
After forming a partnership in 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have released their interagency strategy to reduce food waste in the U.S. With food making up nearly 30-40 percent of the waste stream in the U.S., the agencies launched the Winning on Reducing Food Waste Initiative in October in attempt to reduce food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030. The agencies agreed to coordinate food loss and waste actions that include education and outreach, research, community investments, voluntary programs, public-private partnerships, tool development, technical assistance, event participation and policy discussion on the impacts and importance of reducing food loss and waste.
Read more on Waste Today Magazine
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
Nevada governor signs bill that increases RPS to 50% by 2030
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 358 into law April 22 raising the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 50 percent by 2030, up from the previous requirement of 25 percent by 2025. Renewable energy is a major cornerstone of my economic development plan, and this bill will put Nevada back on the path toward renewable energy leadership on a nationwide level and continue to bring well-paying jobs to our communities,” Sisolak said. “Today, Nevada sent a message to the country and world that the Silver State is open for business as a renewable leader, and our commitment to growing our clean energy economy transcends party lines.”
RNG project proposed for Prince George, British Columbia
On April 18, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George announced approval in principle for an agreement where FortisBC will purchase landfill gas from the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill to purify and inject the gas into its natural gas distribution system as renewable natural gas (RNG). “The demand for RNG is significant. We welcome the opportunity to bring on new supply as we pursue our target of having 15 per cent of our gas supply be renewable by 2030,” says Douglas Stout, vice president of external relations and market development at FortisBC. “If approved, this project will be the first northern Renewable Natural Gas project for FortisBC and will support the development of a locally produced, carbon neutral energy source in B.C.”
Neste and the City of Oakland partner to fuel the city fleet with the city waste
In California, Neste US Inc., the US subsidiary of Finland-headed oil refiner and renewable fuel producer Neste Oyj and the City of Oakland has announced that waste feedstock from the city is now being converted to Neste MY Renewable Diesel and is fuelling the city’s fleet. The City of Oakland, Neste, fuel distributor Western States Oil and local collectors for used cooking oil (UCO) have joined forces to gather waste cooking oils from restaurants and other businesses in the Oakland metropolitan area and convert it to fuel for the city’s fleet. A port city with around 410 000 inhabitants, the City of Oakland is the third largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read more on Bioenergy International
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
TransLink introduces Renewable Natural Gas to its bus fleet
TransLink and FortisBC today announced a partnership that will source Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for TransLink’s natural gas bus fleet. TransLink is now the first public transportation authority in Canada to use RNG, a certified carbon-neutral fuel, to help fuel its natural gas powered buses. “TransLink is a model for transit authorities and fleet operators across the province for making the switch to low-carbon fuels,” said Douglas Stout, vice-president, market development and external relations, FortisBC.
Read more on Translink’s Website
TruStar Energy completes 250th CNG fueling station
Making good on a desire to build 35 percent of the market’s new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations, TruStar Energy this week finished construction of its 250th facility. “Natural gas as a transportation fuel has proven to be a great success story for fleets—both economically and environmentally—and the communities they serve with quieter trucks and cleaner air,” Adam Comora, CEO of TruStar Energy, said. “TruStar Energy is extremely proud of our role in that success story and our dedicated team of men and women that continue to drive change in the industry. As we look into 2019 and beyond, we are excited to build on that success by expanding our renewable natural gas offerings to our customers, which drives even more economic benefits and drastically enhances the sustainability benefits of using natural gas.”
Read more on Transportation Today
National Grid: Delivering the Future of Heat
As an extension of its June 2018 Northeast 80×50 Pathway, a deep dive analysis into ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, National Grid is on the verge of filing proposals for the future of heat with the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to help provide a greater platform to combat climate change by decarbonizing the gas network. “While the scope of taking on climate change can be hard to comprehend, I am confident that we have more solutions at hand than we recognize,” says National Grid New York President John Bruckner on Earth Day. “Working together with regulators, elected officials, environmental groups and customers to achieve cost-effective and innovative solutions is the only way forward.”
RESEARCHES & STUDIES
Green gas milestone: One million UK homes now supplied with biomethane
There has been a surge in number of UK homes being supplied with gas from farm and food waste, according to latest data from the Green Gas Certification Scheme. One million UK homes are now being supplied with ‘green gas’ energy produced from biodegradable farm and food waste, new estimates released today by the Green Gas Certification Scheme (GGCS) have shown. The latest data produced by the GGCS, which issues renewable gas Guarantees of Origin certificates for biomethane injected to the grid, shows there has been a 13-fold increase in the number of UK customers being supplied with biomethane since 2017, with the market hitting the one million mark for the first time at the start of 2019.