Greenlane Update, April 2024
Welcome to our monthly recap, where we combine the latest in the RNG industry with exclusive Greenlane Renewables updates, as we collectively navigate the path to a more sustainable future.
Some great industry and product developments are at work as we continue to cover the RNG space!
RNG Product Insight
H2S Removal: Why Choosing the Right Solution is Critical
Biogas upgrading results in clean, high-purity, low-carbon biomethane or renewable natural gas (RNG) that’s ready for pipelines. All biogas projects contain hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which must be removed to mitigate its impact on the environment, on people's health and safety, and on the equipment itself.
This preconditioning stage of the biogas upgrading process is often underestimated and can be a make-or-break factor that directly influences uptime and profitability. Ryan Murray, U.S. Sales Manager at Greenlane, emphasizes the importance of this stage:
"When you look at where the investment of a waste energy plant goes, you typically don't see a large portion going towards preconditioning. I think a lot of that stems from the belief that you can choose any solution, and it'll work for you. Importance is often put on the equipment that will actually produce the revenue stream, the gas, but ensuring reliable gas production should not be overlooked."
Murray further highlights the consequences of poor decision-making in this area:
"We've seen examples in the industry where the wrong choice of solution forces a plant's operations to be limited. This can absolutely ruin their profitability."
A common cause of operational downtime is replacement of sacrificial passive media. In a high H2S concentration, high gas flow rate application, the media changeouts may be required at a frequency that significantly impacts profitability. In these cases, a regenerative solution such as Greenlane’s Cascade H2S is ideal.
For more information on Greenlane's Cascade H2S, click HERE:
Industry News
Paper Transport Surpasses 70 Million Miles on Natural Gas
Just in time to celebrate Earth Day Monday, Paper Transport achieved a significant milestone with their compressed natural gas (CNG) / renewable natural gas (RNG) vehicles surpassing 70 million miles. The company currently employs 59 RNG/CNG trucks in its 800-plus truck fleet and in collaboration with and commitment from shippers, sees an opportunity to expand.
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RNG Use in Natural Gas Vehicles Sets Record in 2023
The Transport Project (TTP) and Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas announced that 79% of all on-road fuel used in natural gas vehicles in calendar year 2023 was RNG, surpassing the previous year’s record-breaking level. RNG use as a transportation fuel grew 16% over 2022 volumes, up 92% from 2019 levels.
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Brookings Facility First of Several Planned by Utility
A new facility sending renewable natural gas made from dairy cattle manure to local energy customers could be the first of several such plants, according to utility company NorthWest Energy. The company plans to add about five more of these projects by 2025, allowing them to serve about two-thirds of their customers in South Dakota.
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TotalEnergies Signs Agreement with Vanguard Renewables to Develop Renewable Natural Gas Projects in the United States
TotalEnergies and Vanguard Renewables, a portfolio company of BlackRock, have signed an agreement to create an equally owned joint venture to develop, build and operate Farm Powered® renewable natural gas projects in the United States. The joint venture plans to advance 10 RNG projects into construction over the next 12 months and will consider investing together in a pipeline of 60 projects across the country in the future.
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CNG Vehicles Continue to be a Popular Option for the Waste Industry
Waste companies say demand for compressed natural gas vehicles is still growing as an alternative to diesel, even with electric vehicles gaining more attention. Fleet owner-operators who convert to CNG for their long-haul trucks stand to gain the most as electric vehicles are more suited for short runs and light payloads.
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Report Says Europe Could Produce 111 Billion Cubic Metres of Biomethane by 2040
A new report by Guidehouse says that Europe could produce 11 billion cubic metres (bcm) of biomethane by 2040. This amount represents over 30% of the EU gas consumption in 2022. Via the REPowerEU, the European Commission has set a target of 35 bcm of biomethane annually in the EU by 2030, representing a ten-fold increase from today’s current level of biomethane production.
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H2S article Sources:
https://americanbiogascouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/H2S-removal-NC.pdf?v=123004
https://www.biogasworld.com/news/biogas-desulphurisation-which-technology-is-best-for-your-installation/
https://www.scitechnol.com/peer-review/comparison-study-of-biogas-upgrading-removal-of-h2s-by-using-adsorption-absorption-and-biofiltration-techniques-eA4F.php?article_id=19941
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S138358662201005X
https://www.teknologisk.dk/_/media/60599_Biogas%20upgrading.%20Evaluation%20of%20methods%20for%20H2S%20removal.pdf?v=123004
Have a great day!