Renewable Natural gas or RNG is a substitute for natural gas and has a methane concentration greater than 90%. RNG can be produced from several sources, such as wastewater treatment facilities, landfill waste, and animal manure.
This market is growing at an exponential rate due to various policies and legal framework for renewable gas. Going into the next decade it looks like RNG is the next step to sustainability as a carbon-neutral fuel. This blog covers the scope of Renewable Natural Gas and how the USA is leading its way to become the world’s largest producer of Renewable Natural Gas.
World Energy Outlook special report – https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/an-introduction-to-biogas-and-biomethane
Components involved in the RNG Process:
Biogas Digester:
Biogas Conditioning and Upgrading Facilities:
Gas Network/ Interconnection (Point of Receipt):
When organic waste decomposes, it releases biogas. The biogas is captured and purified to create renewable natural gas. Upgraded biogas is biomethane (90% methane).
Two types of costs
RNG upgrading and injection costs fall from more than $30/MMbtu to less than $10/MMbtu as project size increases from10MMbtu/hour to 100MMbtu/hour.
Biomethane can be distributed via existing natural gas pipeline (more than 210 unique pipeline system with 300,000 miles of pipeline) that cover 177 million people in the US as well as other demand centers.
Interesting facts:
Can Renewable Energy Power the World? – https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019-can-renewable-energy-power-the-world/
RNG PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN NORTH AMERICA – http://www.rngcoalition.com/rng-production-facilities
RNG production sites across North America grew by 150% in the past 5 years. With large sources of organics in North America such as 66.5 Million tons of Food Waste in a year; 17,000 wastewater facilities; 8,000 large farms and diaries that produce agriculture waste; 1,750 Landfills; it is easy to say that the growth will be even higher in the coming years.