How Natural Gas Utilities Are Developing the RNG Market in a Decarbonizing World—Webinar Review

by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The December 15th webinar discussed how natural gas utilities are developing the renewable natural gas (RNG) market in a decarbonizing world. This event featured speaker Philip Sheehy, the technical director of transportation and energy at ICF, Josh Linton strategic planning analyst at ONE Gas, Susan Stuver Project Manager at Gas Technology Institute, and Sam Wade Director of State Regulatory Affairs with Renewable Natural Gas Coalition.

The speakers emphasized how the future costs of RNG will vary by feedstock and technological development. The research focused on anaerobic digestion and thermal gasification technologies, and depicted how in the future, in the most optimistic scenario, they would still be using only one third of available feedstocks when creating renewable natural gas. The speakers called for an increase in economic impact assessment on local economies interested in furthering their RNG industry, as renewable natural gas is predicted to improve economies while also improving facilities and technology.

The long-term perspectives for the RNG market encapsulates pushing the envelope on fuel standards and upgrading biogas. These upgrades discussed include hydrate based gas separation, membrane enrichment, and multi-stage anaerobic digestion. Speakers predicted diverse RNG production such as using seaweed and kelp to create biogas without trace compounds.

Different compounds are produced depending on the process of biogas creation, and these compounds are important when determining the use of a specific gas. In the future, the ability to use seaweed to create biogas without these compounds will yield more opportunity for RNG. The speakers also discussed long-run renewable hydrogen.

When discussing the current issues surrounding interconnects in the RNG industry, Susan Stuver talked through the importance of understanding trace compounds found in biogas, and further researching their impacts on quality and function. These compounds need to be understood by all those processing renewable natural gas in order to ensure efficient production. This stems from the issue of communication between pipeline producer and the biogas producer. The issues surrounding trace compounds and ensuring clean RNG bring up the economic issue surrounding the RNG industry.

Financing research and analysis will be vital in breaking RNG out of the transportation sector and into decarbonizing all electric systems. Innovation is possible in every sector of RNG, however, at the moment the opportunity is narrow due to lack of economic and governmental support.

Currently there has been an increase in voluntary tariffs in RNG. The Oregon Bill 98 (SB98) is an example of policy that will require the Public Utility Commission to adopt by rule large and small renewable natural gas programs. The speakers hoped to see more policy that implements all utility needs for gas, and allows cost recovery for procurement of RNG. READ MORE

*Hannah DelSordo, a junior at Dickinson College majoring in International Studies and French, volunteers at Advanced Biofuels USA in preparation for a career working on environmental issues and policy.