NEWS RELEASE
November 28, 2017
Renewable Natural Gas Coalition Kicks-Off Annual North American Renewable Natural Gas Conference by Celebrating New Projects and Launching New Educational Video
Today the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition) recognized six companies for their development roles in seven renewable natural gas (RNG) projects completed in 2017 across the U.S. heartland, and launched a new educational video to commence the North American RNG industry’s annual conference program in Dana Point, California.
The video will help to further educate energy industry decision-makers and policy-makers on the economic, environmental, and domestic energy security benefits of development and utilization of RNG.
Companies and projects recognized during today’s ceremony include [Company (Project)]:
• Ameresco (Woodland Meadows, MI)
• Aria Energy (2: Butler County, NE and Oklahoma City, OK)
• Enerdyne Power Systems (Lawrence, KS)
• Morrow Renewables (2: Melissa Landfill and Pine Hill Landfill, TX)
• Republic Services (Pine Hill, TX)
• Roeslein Alternative Energy (Valley View Farm, MO)
In response to the recognition, Rudi Roeslein, President of Roeslein Alternative Energy and CEO of Roeslein & Associates, said, “The accomplishments to date are the results of the hard work and perseverance of our team, and the resolve of our company and Smithfield Foods to make this project a successful example of how a waste stream considered a liability can be turned into a beneficial source of renewable energy.”
He added that the project creates dozens of new local jobs, pays hundreds of thousands in local taxes, and affirms Smithfield’s continued commitment to preserve the $1.5 billion economic impact in the Missouri region through its more than $100 million investment.
“The challenges of developing two simultaneous projects have been offset by working with experienced landfill partners and supportive off-take partners, enabling Aria Energy to successfully complete two projects this year,” said Richard DiGia, President and CEO of Aria Energy. “When delivered for use in vehicles, the combined production of the projects reduce carbon emissions by over 55,000 tons per year.”
“We believe in leading by example in everything we do,” said Andy Shipe, Vice President, Business Development at Republic Services. “Whenever possible, at our landfills, that means harnessing energy from yesterday’s waste and converting it into a renewable resource that meets tomorrow’s fuel and energy needs.”
For Morrow Renewables, who partnered with Republic Services on the Pine Hill project, it is one of eight high-BTU (British Thermal Units) facilities developed by the company in the U.S.
“‘High-BTU’ shows that this project offers the same carbon reduction as that of over 182,000 acres of forest annually, which is also the equivalent of removing the carbon dioxide emissions from almost 22 million gallons of gasoline annually,” said Luke Morrow, President of Morrow Renewables.
“At the Waste Management, Woodland Meadows landfill in Canton, Michigan, Ameresco built and operates a biogas-to-RNG facility to convert approximately 6600 SCFM of landfill gas to 3500 deca-therms of RNG every day,” said Michael Bakas, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “The plant utilizes gas treatment technologies from Guild Technologies and PSB industries,” he said. “Once the gas is injected into the local natural gas pipeline and eventually sold into the vehicle fuel market, it produces more than 14 million credits under the Renewable Fuel Standard program (RINs).”
The seven projects bring the number of RNG facilities in North America to 62, up from 48 at the time of the industry’s 2015 conference. With more than 20 new RNG projects scheduled for completion by the end of 2018, the industry is on pace to meet and potentially surpass the RNG Coalition’s goal to double the number of RNG projects in North America in just ten years to 100 or more by 2025.
“It’s amazing to see the growth and advancement of the landfill gas industry, in particular for production of Renewable Natural Gas,” said William Brinker, Managing Director of Enerdyne Power Systems. “And we believe the RNG Coalition has played a tremendous role in achieving such growth.”
The RNG 2017 Conference will run through Thursday, November 30. The 316 preregistered conference attendees, representing over 150 companies, sets a new high mark for the RNG industry’s annual event.
Access the new RNG educational video at http://www.rngcoalition.com/what-is-rng/.
About the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas – The RNG Coalition was founded in 2011 and represents the renewable natural gas industry in North America, including companies that produce, or otherwise support production and distribution of biogas-derived renewable natural gas –a domestic, clean, low-carbon, and renewable source of power, heat and fuel that makes up the predominant share of cellulosic biofuel in North America.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Marcus Gillette, Director of Public Affairs
916.588.3033 Ext. 3
Marcus@RNGCoalition.com
