RNG’s Direct Cost, Emission Benefits Continue to Improve
(Hexagon Agility) … RNG is processed from decaying organic materials in agricultural, landfill, and wastewater treatment facilities. Accordingly, this clean fuel has a double impact on carbon emissions by not only capturing harmful methane molecules that would have otherwise entered the atmosphere, but also by displacing diesel, giving fleets near-zero tailpipe emissions. Because methane is 75 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe, cutting methane emissions through the use of RNG results in even higher carbon reductions when calculated well-to-wheel.
“With these two benefits, you can quickly see how RNG has become a desirable, inclusive, long-term solution for fleets to cut carbon emissions with an immediate impact on climate change through RNG’s reduction of up to 200% in well-to-wheel emissions,” said Eric Bippus, Hexagon Agility’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. “Another advantage for today’s fleet is the vast quantity of immediately available compressed natural gas platforms offered, warranted and serviced by OEMs in North America.”
Last year, the California Air Resources Board determined that RNG’s carbon intensity, which is established by evaluating the total carbon emissions of a fuel from production to consumption, was negative for the entirety of 2021.
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According to a study commissioned by Hexagon Agility, while there is an ample supply of RNG for commercial vehicles, currently only a small percentage of potential biomass is being tapped for RNG production. When looking at the potential biomass provided by agricultural waste and manure, landfills, and wastewater, there is a potential to increase RNG production by approximately 70 times its current status.
“We could run every Class 7 and 8 vehicle in the North American market with this potential fuel supply,” said Ashley Remillard, Hexagon Agility’s Vice President of Legal and Government Affairs. “Cutting emissions from transportation helps meet many of the global targets set by the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference, as this sector produces 20% of global CO2 emissions.”
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Last year, UPS made a commitment to purchase 250 million diesel gallon equivalents of RNG over the next seven years, fueling LNG trucks throughout the Midwest, as well as CNG trucks in Visalia and Moreno Valley, California. The global delivery service provider has also announced it will purchase 6,000 natural gas-powered trucks in an exclusive agreement with Hexagon Agility to supply fuel systems, doubling-down on its RNG pledge.
Frito-Lay has made a similar promise, working to convert its fleet to 100% natural gas sourced from renewable resources, eliminating 6.7 million gallons of diesel from the road. Currently, approximately 50% of the company’s over-the-road tractor fleet is powered by natural gas.
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RNG can help fleets transition from diesel to a cleaner and more cost-effective fuel quickly and without the growing pains of other currently developing technologies. READ MORE
