Dominion Energy Virginia
Date: 2019-08-07
In the Old Dominion State, Richmond-based utility holding company Dominion Energy Virginia is reporting four utility-scale battery storage pilot projects totaling 16 megawatts -- the largest projects of their kind in Virginia.

The four proposed Central Virginia-based lithium-ion projects will cost approximately $33 million to construct and will provide key information on distinct use cases for batteries on the energy grid. Pending SCC approval, the pilots would be evaluated over a five year period once operational as currently expected in December 2020. The projects include:

Two battery systems totaling 12 MW at the Scott Solar facility in Powhatan County that will demonstrate how batteries can store energy generated from solar panels during periods of high production and help optimize the power produced by the solar facility.

A 2-MW battery at a substation in Ashland will explore how batteries can improve reliability and save on equipment replacement costs by serving as an alternative to traditional grid management investments such as transformer upgrades, necessary to serve customers during times of high energy demand.

A 2-megawatt battery at a substation in New Kent County serving a 20-MW solar facility will show how batteries can help manage voltage and loading issues caused by reverse energy flow, to maintain grid stability.

Dominion notes it expects to cut generating fleet CO2 emissions 80 pct by 2050 and reduce methane emissions from its gas assets 50 pct by 2030. (Source: Dominion Energy, PR, Aug., 2019) Contact: Dominion Energy, Mark D. Mitchell, vice president – generation construction www.dominionenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Dominion Energy Virginia,  Battery Energy Storage,  

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Date: 2019-08-07
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports it has identified ways to reduce agricultural GHG emissions under various climate conditions using isotopic techniques.

When farmers apply fertilizer to their crops, plants convert the fertilizer into the nutrients the plants need to flourish. Some of the by-products related to these processes are released as GHGs -- nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) -- and the overuse of fertilizer is leading to the release of excessive amounts of GHGs. According to the FAO, agriculture, forestry and other land use make up close to a quarter of GHGs, and the use of synthetic fertilizers accounts for 12 pct of total agriculture GHG emissions.

These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and thereby altering the conditions under which food crops grow, affecting not only crop yields, but also food quality and food security. The release of N2O is particularly worrying because it's 300 times more powerful than CO2 in trapping heat, and 16 times more powerful than CH4 and can therefore greatly contribute to climate change mitigation strategies.

Nuclear techniques offer substantial advantages over conventional techniques for measuring GHG emissions. By adding nitrogen fertilizers labelled with stable isotope nitrogen-15 as a tracer, scientists can track the isotopes and determine how effectively the crops are taking up the fertilizer. The isotope is also used to quantify the amount of nitrogen that crops can acquire from the atmosphere through biological nitrogen fixation process.

The carbon-13 stable isotope technique, using the natural abundance of carbon-13 in the environment, allows researchers to evaluate soil quality and sources of carbon sequestered in the soil. This helps identify how various combinations of crop rotation, tillage and ground cover can enhance productivity and improve the efficiency with which increasingly scarce resources, such as water and chemical nutrients, are used. Carbon-13 is tracked to determine the movement and origin of carbon dioxide and methane. (Source: International Atomic Energy Agency, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 6 Aug., 2019) Contact: UN Food & Agriculture Organization, www.fao.org; International Atomic Energy Agency, www.iaea.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  ,  

Mitsui O.S.K.
Date: 2019-08-05
Tokyo-headquartered maritime shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. (MOL) reports it will focus on reducing its shipping operation CO2 emissions by using synthetic methane as an alternative to current fossil-based bunker fuels.

With the same focus, the company has also joined the Carbon Capture and Reuse (CCR) Study Group which is looking into the implementation of effective carbon neutral measures to reduce the use of fossil fuels by offering alternative energies such as synthetic methane, which is generated by combining CO2 generated by industries with renewable energy-derived hydrogen. (Source: MOL, Bunkerspot, Aug., 2019) Contact: Mitsui O.S.K. (MOL), Junichiro Ikeda, Pres., CEO, www.mol.co.jp/en; Carbon Capture and Reuse Study Group, www.hitachizosen.co.jp/english/release/2016/11/002421.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Captureand Reuse,  Mitsui,  Methane,  

Mitsui
Date: 2019-08-05
Tokyo-headquartered maritime shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. (MOL) reports it will focus on reducing its shipping operation CO2 emissions by using synthetic methane as an alternative to current fossil-based bunker fuels.

With the same focus, the company has also joined the Carbon Capture and Reuse (CCR) Study Group which is looking into the implementation of effective carbon neutral measures to reduce the use of fossil fuels by offering alternative energies such as synthetic methane, which is generated by combining CO2 generated by industries with renewable energy-derived hydrogen. (Source: MOL, Bunkerspot, Aug., 2019) Contact: Mitsui O.S.K. (MOL), Junichiro Ikeda, Pres., CEO, www.mol.co.jp/en; Carbon Capture and Reuse Study Group, www.hitachizosen.co.jp/english/release/2016/11/002421.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane news,  Synthetic Methane news,  Misui news,  Marine Fuel news,  

SocalGas,Calgren
Date: 2019-07-31
SocalGas, the largest natural gas distribution utility in the US, reports the completion of the Calgren dairy renewable natural gas facility in Pixley. The natural gas facility, developed in partnership with Calgren Dairy Fuels, is the first of its kind in California. SocalGas has provided Calgren with a $5 million incentive, authorised by the California PUC to support the project.

Calgren will collect cow manure from four dairy farms and process it using an anaerobic digesters to produce methane emissions which will then be used to produce transportation fuel. The digesters in the Calgren project are partially funded under California's Dairy Digester Research and Development Programme, which aims to reduce GHG emissions from manure generated at state dairy farms. California currently has about 30 operational dairy RNG projects and 50 under development.

A 2016 study by the University of California, Davis found California has the potential to produce approximately 90.6 billion cubic feet (bcf) per year of renewable natural gas from dairy, landfill, municipal solid waste, and wastewater treatment plant sources alone -- sufficient to meet the annual natural gas needs of around 2.3 million California homes. According to the U.S. DOE the U.S. currently produces 1 trillion cubic feet of renewable natural gas every year, and that number is expected to increase to 10 trillion by 2030. (Source: SocalGas, SmartEnergy, 30 July, 2019) Contact: Calgren Renewable Fuels, Walt Dwelle, Principal Owner , Lyle Schlyer, Pres., (559) 757-3850, lschyler@calgren.com, www.calgren.com; Southern California Gas Company, Sharon Tomkins, VP customer solutions and strategy. www.socalgas.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News SocalGas,  Calgren,  anaerobic digester,  RNG,  Renewable Natural Gas,  

Aries Clean Energy
Date: 2019-07-19
Franklin, Tennessee-based Aries Clean Energy -- fka PHG Energy -- is reporting receipt of all required approvals and permits for construction of New Jersey's first biosolids-only gasification facility. The Aries Linden Biosolids Gasification Facility, which will process about 400 tpd of biosolids into clean renewable energy for in-house use and biocharcoal, will be located in a re-purposed building within the Linden Roselle Sewerage Authority (LRSA) complex, 20 miles from Manhattan.

The plant will utilize Aries patented fluidized bed gasification system specifically designed for processing biosolids. (Source: Aries Clean Energy LLC, PR, Cdn. Biomass, 17 July, 2019) Contact: Aries Clean Energy LLC, Gregory Bafalis, CEO, (615) 471-9299, Info@AriesCleanEnergy.com, www.ariescleanenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aries Clean Energy ,  Biosolid,  Biogas,  Biomethane,  

Bright Biomethane
Date: 2019-07-19
In the Netherlands, Enschede-headquartered membrane separation biogas to biomethane upgrading systems specialist Bright Biomethane is reporting the opening of its first North American office in NYC, NY.

Bright Biomethane North America will supply biogas upgrading systems with membrane separation technology for the refining of biogas from biomass to biomethane, and is working on the first five renewable natural gas (RNG) projects, all of which being realized in the Northeast of the U.S. (Source: Bright Biomethane, PR, Cdn. Biomass, Others, June, 2019) Contact: Bright Biomethane, Herman Klein Teeselink, CEO, +31 53 460 9088, info@brightbiomethane.com, www.brightbiomethane.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bright Biomethane,  Biogas,  Biomethane,  

Climate Change,Global Warming
Date: 2019-07-19
Killer Heat in the United States, a recently released report from the Union of Concerned Scientist predicts a lot more days of extreme heat -- so much that they're being called "killer heat" days. The study was released in part to spur action on the part of both politicians and business leaders.

According to the report, "The United States federal government needs to continue with the (Obama) Clean Power Plan and not dismantle it, as the current (Trump) administration is attempting to do, to significantly reduce emissions from the power sector, which accounts for roughly 40 pct of the U.S. emissions footprint."

The UCS scientists are asking the federal government to not only wean the nation off of fossil fuels, but develop plans for people to adapt to extreme heat. "The clock is ticking to reduce emissions. If nothing is done, we may have to get ready for an unrecognizably hot future" the report says.

To make the needed deep emissions cuts, the reports recommends the U.S. implement a suite of federal and state policies, including: an economy wide price on carbon; policies to cut transportation sector emissions, including increasing fuel economy and heat-trapping emissions standards for vehicles; increased investment in low-carbon public transportation; policies to cut buildings and industrial sector emissions; policies to increase carbon storage in vegetation and soils, including through climate-friendly agricultural and forest management practices; increased investment in emissions and climate change related R&D; measures to cut methane, nitrus oxide, and other major non-CO2 heat-trapping emissions; and policies to help a rapid transition to low-carbon economies.

Download the Killer Heat in the United States -Climate Choices and the Future of Dangerously Hot Days report HERE (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists, wusf Public Media, 18 July, 2019) Contact: Union of Concerned Scientists, Ken Kimmell, Pres., (617) 547-5552,

More Low-Carbon Energy News Union of Concerned Scientists,  Climate Change,  

Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Date: 2019-07-15
In UAE, a recently release report from the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) notes that greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) have risen 36.6 pct between 2010 and 2016, an average rise of more than 6 pct per year in Abu Dhabi over the past years.

The report notes that key greenhouse emissions resulting from human activities, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), were driven by a surge in the demand for water and energy due to the emirate's rapid economic and population growth.

The report projected that sustainable development strategies in the emirate will help to achieve significant reduction in emission indicators by 2030. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is currently collaborating with the local authorities to develop a comprehensive inventory map of GHG sources and concentrations across the UAE with the aim of identifying emission hotspots and supporting mitigation actions. (Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, MENAFN - Khaleej Times, 13 July, 2019) Contact: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, Sheikha Al Hosani, Exec. Dr., Environment Quality Sector, +971 2 693 4444, www.ead.ae/SitePages/home.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Climate Change,  COs,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  Abu Dhabi,  

New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund
Date: 2019-07-12
The Keeling Curve Prize is reporting two San Francisco Bay Area organizations -- Opus 12, based in Berkeley, and the Oakland-based New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund (NEX/CalCEF) -- have been awarded $25,000 apiece for developing promising global warming solutions.

The Keeling Curve Prize recognizes ideas in the areas of Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU), Energy Access, Transportation, Finance, and Social & Cultural Impacts, that either effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions or increase carbon uptake, according to a June 28 Keeling Curve Prize press release.

The Opus 12 team was one of the Carbon Capture & Utilization winners, and the NEX/CalCEF team was one of the Finance winners. The Opus 12 award-winning device takes CO2 and water and produces high-value chemicals and fuels that are conventionally made with petroleum. The technology diminishes emissions and produces the "critical products that are the building blocks of modern civilization." The process can generate 16 different products, including ethylene, a precursor for most plastics, methane and syngas, according to the Opus 12 website.

The NEX/CalCEF team developed a "qualified clean energy opportunity zoning fund" which supports energy entrepreneurs, according to the Keeling Curve Prize website.

The NEX/CalCEF team developed a "qualified clean energy opportunity zoning fund" which supports energy entrepreneurs, according to the Keeling Curve Prize website. (Source: Keeling Curve Prize, PR, Daily Californian, 11 July, 2019) Contact: New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund, hello@newenergynexus.com,www.newenergynexus.com; Keeling Curve Prize, Jacquelyn Francis, Dir., director@kcurveprize.org, www.kcurveprize.org; Opus 12, www.opus-12.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCU,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  Climate Change,  

University of Oxford,
Date: 2019-07-12
In the UK, according to Myles Allen, a professor of Climate Dynamics at the University of Oxford, farming can become completely "climate neutral" if agricultural methane emissions are reduced by just 20 pct over the next 30 years.

Prof. Allen claims UK farmers have been cutting methane emissions by 10 pct every 30 years, through measures such as better slurry storage and application, and didn't need to reach the Government's net-zero by 2050 target to stop, or actually reverse, warming caused by agriculture. This is because when methane is released into the atmosphere, it has a much stronger warming impact than the same amount of CO2, but unlike CO2 or nitrous oxide, which have a constant warming effect even when emissions fall to zero, cutting the amount of methane -- which is far more potent the CO2 -- emitted will actually cause global cooling, Prof. Allen suggests.

Prof Allen contends that cutting agricultural methane emissions to zero over the next 35 years would cause global cooling, taking the industry's contribution to global warming back to the level it was in the 1960s. (Source: University of Oxford, Farmers Guardian, 11 July, 2019) Contact: University of Oxford, Prof. Myles Allen, +44 (0)1865 275895. myles.allen@ouce.ox.ac.uk, www.eci.ox.ac.uk/people/mallen.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane,  Climate Change,  Emissions,  Global Warming,  

Energy Assets Utilities
Date: 2019-07-12
In the UK, Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) is reporting an unnamed biomethane plant near Pontefract in West Yorkshire is set to begin production and to meet the energy needs of around 6,000 homes, thanks to a 3km directionally drilled pipeline installed by EAU. The plant is due to come on stream in October.

The plant's four, 6,800 cubic-meter capacity digester tanks will create methane from chicken litter, food waste and other organic matter produced by local farms. The gas will be purified and fed into the national grid. The gas will also power the site's combined heat and power (CHP) unit, while the digester waste will be turned into fertiliser. (Source: Energy Assets Utilities, Bioenergy Insight, 11 July, 2019) Contact: Energy Assets Utilities, +44 0 1254 819 600, www.energyassets.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas,  Biomethane,  

Methane,Climate Change
Date: 2019-07-10
In the Land Down Under, researchers from Southern Cross University are reporting their research has revealed that dead mangrove trees released us much as 8 times more of the potent greenhouse gas methane than living mangrove trees. The research was brought about by a recent catastrophic climate-induced coastal mangrove die-back in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The findings, published in the international journal New Phytologist, have implications for scientific understanding of how mangrove systems sequester "blue carbon" -- CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere and locked up in coastal wetlands such as mangroves. (Source: Southern Cross University, mycg.com.au, 7 July, 2019)Contact: Southern Cross University, Luke Jeffrey, Phd. Candidate, +61 1800 626 481, www.scu.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,  Mangrove,  Climate Change,  Methane,  

OGCI Climate Investments
Date: 2019-07-03
In the UK, Teesside's Clean Gas project on the former SSI steelworks site could become the world's first gas-powered energy plant using carbon capture and storage (CCS)technology at scale with £3.8 million in funding from the federal government. The £18 million project was announced in November by OGCI Climate Investments.

Phase one is a huge power plant, which will run on natural clean gas and could be operational as early as 2024 or 2025. Construction is slated to get underway in 2020.

The UK Government has laid out plans for the UK to be a world-leader in the field of CCS, with its Clean Growth Strategy and last November's CCUS Action Plan.

OGCI companies set a target to reduce the collective average methane intensity of our aggregated upstream gas and oil operations to below 0.25 pct by 2025, with the ambition to achieve 0.20 pct. Starting from a baseline of 0.32 pct in 2017, reaching the 0.20 pct target would translate into greatly reducing our collective methane emissions by more than one-third -- approximately 600,000 tpy of methane -- by the end of 2025, according the OGCI website. (Source: Teeside Live, 27 June, 2019) Contact: OGCI Climate Investments, contact@climateinvestments.energy, www.oilandgasclimateinitiative.com/climate-investments

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  OGCI Climate Investments ,  

Landfill Methane
Date: 2019-07-01
In the Show Me State, the Neosho NEOSHO Newton/McDonald County Landfill reports it is seeking a purchaser for methane - landfill gas from its 1972 vintage landfill which was capped and closed in 1996.

The landfill's previous customer was USA Metal Recycling which used the excess methane as a fuel source for melting metals. A new buyer would also extend the board's ability to maintain the landfill. Revenue from methane sales was reinvested back into the landfill's operation, but that budgetis expected run dry in about seven years. (Source: Newton/McDonald County Landfill, Joplin Globe, 29 June, 2019) Contact: Newton/McDonald County Landfill, Bill Lant, Commissioner, https://dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/swmd/distm.htm

More Low-Carbon Energy News Landfill Methane,  

Supergen Bioenergy Hub
Date: 2019-07-01
In Laguna Province, the Phillippines, a JV between Straw Innovations Ltd, Supergen Bioenergy Hub, QUBE Renewables and the University of Southampton is reporting the launch of a rice straw-to-biogas (R2B) project. The project, which will process the region's abundance of waste rice straw into marketable biogass transportation fuel, is being funded under the Energy Catalyst programme from Innovate UK and UK Aid.

The rice-to-biofuel (R2B) project will produce biogas for energy and fertilizer using anaerobic digestion reactors with biomethane upgrading equipment. The activities of the "village scale" pilot facility and the development of the associated business models are supported by academic lab work and analysis from the UK research partners. (Source: Supergen Bioenergy Hub, June, 2019) Contact: Supergen Bioenergy Hub, European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI), Aston University, Prof. Patricia Thornley, Dir., p.thornleyWaston.ac.uk; Straw Innovations, www.strawinnovations.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News anaerobic digestion,  bioenergy,  Biogas,  Rice Biogas,  

Greenlane Biogas,Fortis
Date: 2019-06-28
Greenlane Renewables Inc. reports its wholly-owned Burnaby, British Columbia-based subsidiary Greenlane Biogas North America Ltd., has secured a new $3.4 million-dollar biogas upgrading contract for a Metro Vancouver municipal wastewater treatment facility. Work is slated to begin immediately for a mis 2020 completion.

The facility will produce clean Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for injection into the gas distribution network owned and operated by FortisBC, the local gas utility.

Greenlane's "water-scrubbing" gas purification technology uses no chemicals or heat to cleans impurities and CO2 from biogas to produce high-purity biomethane, suitable for injection into the natural gas grid and for direct use as vehicle fuel. (Source: Greenlane Biogas, PR, July,2019) Contact: Greenlane Biogas, Brad Douville, Pres., CEO, (604) 259-0343, salesna@greenlanebiogas.com, www.greenlanebiogas.com; FortisBC, Douglas Stout, VP External Relations and Market Dev., 604-576-7000, www.fortisbc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas,  Biomethane,  RNG,  Fortis,  

Date: 2019-06-26
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and California Bioenergy announced a joint investment in a holding company with California dairy farmers to produce and market dairy biomethane as a vehicle fuel in the state. The holding company, CalBioGas, secured funding from Chevron to build infrastructure for dairy biomethane projects in California’s San Joaquin Valley, adding to the investment from dozens of dairy farmers. Manure storage on dairy farms results in the release of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. CalBio brings technology, operational experience and capital to help dairy farmers build digesters and methane capture projects to convert this methane to a beneficial use as renewable natural gas. The dairy biomethane projects are designed to send dairy biogas to a centralized processing facility, where it will be upgraded to RNG and injected into the local gas utility’s pipeline. The RNG is then marketed as an alternative fuel for heavy-duty trucks, buses, and eventually off-road and farm equipment. (Source: Transport Topics, 24 June, 2019)

VW,Volkswagen
Date: 2019-06-26
"Volkswagen is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. CNG has an important role to play in the alternative drive systems strategy that runs alongside the Group's electrification offensive. It is sufficiently proven, immediately available, efficient and cost-effective.

"Furthermore, CNG cars are not affected by driving bans in city centers. Refueling with biomethane or e-gas results in an even better CO2 balance. Both can easily be fed into the gas network and mixed with any amount of fossil natural gas." -- Stephen Neumann, Volkswagen Group

More Low-Carbon Energy News VW,  Paris Climate Agreement,  

CalBioGas
Date: 2019-06-21
In the Golden State, Visalia-headquartered California Bioenergy LLC and oil giant Chevron are reporting a joint investment in CalBioGas LLC, a holding company with California dairy farmers to produce and market dairy biomethane as a transportation fuel in compliance with California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

CalBio will help dairy farmers build digesters and methane capture projects to convert methane into renewable natural gas (RNG). Chevron will fund as many as 18 digesters across three geographic "clusters" in Kern, Tulare and Kings counties. The three clusters of digesters have been awarded California Department of Food and Agriculture grants which must be augmented with additional capital to complete the projects. (Source: California Bioenergy, PR, Chevron, Renewable Energy, 20 June, 2019) Contact: CalBioEnergy, N. Ross Buckenham, CEO, 559-667-9560, info@calbioenergy.com, www.calbioenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Anaerobic Digestion,  California Bioenergy,  Chevron,  Biogas,  Methane,  Biomethane,  

Kinetrex Energy
Date: 2019-06-17
Indianapolis-headquartered LNG specialist Kinetrex Energy is reporting it will capture landfill gas -- methane from the city of Indianapolis South Side Landfill and processes it into a fuel for shipping companies like UPS. The facility will be the company's first renewable natural gas (RNG) plant although it already fuels its trucking customers with gas purchased from other states.

The company estimates estimates that the RNG produced by the Indianapolis plant will replace more than 8 million gallons of diesel fuel.

Kinetrex Energy supplies a portfolio of liquefied natural gas (LNG), pipeline natural gas, and renewable natural gas energy solutions in the Midwest. It serves customers in the transportation, commercial, industrial, agricultural, gas utilities, power generation, asphalt, and commercial and industrial markets, as well as churches, hospitals, and schools. (Source: Kinetrix Energy, Lakeshore Public Radio, 14 June, 2019)Contact: Kinetrex Energy, Aaron Johnson, Pres., CEO, 317-886-8179, www.kinetrexenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Kinetrex Energy ,  Biogas,  Methane,  Landfill Methane,  

CIBiogas
Date: 2019-06-14
Brazil's Parana State Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior government reports the state will investigate the benefits and challenges of using biomethane-biogas as transportation fuel in public transportation in some of the state's smaller cities. The study will be undertaken by Parana's gas and sanitation companies, Compagas and Sanepar.

According to the Brazil International Centre for Renewable Energy (CIBiogas), the cost per kilometer of running on ethanol is around BRL 0.40 ($0.10) while the cost of running on biomethane-biogas could drop by about one-third to BRL 0.24, . (Source: CIBiogas, Parana, Renewables Now, 13 June, 2019)Contact: CIBiogas, +55 45 3576-7166, cibiogas@cibiogas.org, www.cibiogas.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas,  Biomethane,  

Methane,Environment and Climate Change Canada
Date: 2019-06-14
In Ottawa, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced proposed regulations to cut methane emissions from drilling and processing by 20 megatonnes a year -- equivalent to pulling 5 million passenger vehicles a year from roadways. The changes will impact refineries, oil-sands upgraders and petrochemical facilities, along with individual drillers and processors.

Under the new regulations, affected companies would be required to regularly check and repair leaks from their equipment, use cleaner technologies to minimize emissions, monitor emissions at their property lines and report the results to the Canadian government.

The regulations are part of the Pan-Canada Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change to cut methane by 40 to 45 pct by 2025.

The Canadian oil and gas sector produces about 44 pct of Canada's escaping methane which represents about 15 pct of the country's greenhouse-gas emissions. The changes are expected to cost the industry an estimated $3.3 billion over the next 20 years. (Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, CBC, Various Media, Kallanish Energy, 31 May, 2019) Contact: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister, (800) 668-6767, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane Emissions,  GHG,  Climate Change,  Environment and Climate Change Canada,  

Willioams,Our Nation’s Energy Future Coalition
Date: 2019-06-14
Tulsa, Okloahoma-headquartered midstream giant Williams reports it has become the 17th member of the Our Nation's Energy Future Coalition (One Future), a Houston-based natural gas industry-led organization dedicated to voluntarily achieving meaningful reductions in methane emissions across the natural gas value chain.

In August 2018, Williams and other members of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America pledged to minimize methane emissions from interstate natural gas transmission and storage operations. The companies pledged to achieve a science-based average rate of methane emissions to 1 pct or less of total natural gas production by 2025. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines. (Source: Williams, Kallanish Energy, 13 June, 2019) Contact: Our Nation's Energy Future Coalition, www.onefuture.us; Williams, Alan Armstrong, CEO, www.williams.com; Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, 202-216-5900, www.aga.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Methane Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Devon Energy
Date: 2019-06-12
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-headquartered Devon Energy Corp. is reporting it plans to further cut methane emissions from its U.S. oil and natural gas production sites by at least 12.5 pct in six years. For 2018, the company's methane intensity rate was an estimated .32 pct which is now expected to be cut to .28 pct or less by 2025, according to the company release. The company release also noted that employee and top-level executive compensation levels will be tied to meeting its new methane reduction goals. (Source: Devon Energy, The Oklahoman, 11 June, 2019) Contact: Devon Energy, Dave Hager, CEO, (405) 235-3611, www.devonenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Devon Energy,  Methane Emissions,  GHGs,  Natural Gas,  

Landsfill Gas
Date: 2019-05-31
The Santa Barbara County Tajiguas Landfill in California reports construction is underway. The landfill will process locally sourced biological materials such as wood and food scraps as well as solid waste from Santa Ynez Valley communities using a "dry fermentation" composting process to produce methane biogas and 25,000 tpy of compost from 16 individual modules.

The methane biogas will drive two new engines generating 5 megawatts of electricity that will be added to 1 megawatts produced by a solar electrovoltaic system for a total of 6 megawatts.

When fully operational, the $130.5 million ReSource Center is expected to divert an additional 60 pct of waste from going into the landfill, cut greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to 28,668 cars per year, generate enough energy to make it self-sustaining plus power 2,000 homes. (Source: Santa Barbara County Tajiguas LandfillSanta Ynez Vallet News, 29 May, 2019) Contact: Santa Barbara County Tajiguas Landfill, www.ourair.org/tajiguas-landfill

More Low-Carbon Energy News Landfill Gas,  Methane,  

Clean Energy Fuels Corp., UPS
Date: 2019-05-29
Atlanta-headquartered logistics company UPS reports an agreement with Newport Beach California-based Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to purchase 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG, aka biomethane) through 2026 -- the largest commitment for use of RNG to date by any company in the US with a range of 22.5 -- 25 million gallon equivalents per year.

RNG is a key part of UPS's strategy to increase alternative fuel consumption to be 40 pct of total ground fuel purchases by 2025, supporting the the company's efforts to reduce the absolute GHG emissions of its ground fleet 12 pct by 2025.

UPS has used more than 28 million gallons of RNG in its ground fleet since 2014. Since 2009, UPS has invested more than $1 billion in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.(Source: UPS, PR, 28 May, 2019) Contact: UPS, Mike Casteel, UPS Director of Fleet Procurement, (404) 828-6000; Clean Energy Fuels, Andrew Littlefair, President and CEO, Ashley White, Corporate Sustainability, www.cleanenergyfuels.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Clean Energy Fuels Corp.,  UPS,  RNG,  

Barbados
Date: 2019-05-22
According to the Barbados Advocate, the Bridgetown-based non-profit organization Design Council SIDS, the island nation can play a leading role in the adoption and use of bioenergy. That's according to Industrial Designer Mark Hill as he revealed that they are in the process of commissioning a 250-kilowatt Chicken Manure Biogas Plant in St. Lucy, and plans for a plastics-to-energy project, as well as a 1 MW biogas facility for food waste and a 1.5 MW ryngas project on the island.

"We can and will lead in bio-energy, in particular the production of biomethane/renewable natural gas, the production of wood pellets, syngas, and we will fully explore the economic potential in these resources in order to meet the goal of 100 pct renewable energy by 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals," Hill said in an address to the recent Bio-Digestion: Benefits to Barbados conference in Bridgetown. Presently only an estimated 4 pct to 6 pct of Barbados' energy needs are being met by renewable. (Source: Barbados Design Council SIDS, Barbados Advocate, 18 May, 2019) Contact: Design Council SIDS, Mark Hill, www.facebook.com/designcouncilsids

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bioenergy,  Biogas,  Renewable Energy,  

California Ethanol & Power LLC
Date: 2019-05-17
In the Golden State, Brawley-based California Ethanol & Power LLC (CE&P) reports the Imperial County Board of Supervisors has approved an extension to a $600,000 loan in support of the company's planned sugarcane ethanol and power plant in the county.

CE&P's mission is to produce sustainable renewable low-carbon energy in California from sugarcane using proven technologies. The company will own and operate the facility utilizing innovative renewable energy technologies to ensure a production process that is efficient and environmentally respectful, CE&P will convert sugarcane grown by CE&P into low carbon fuel-grade ethanol, renewable electricity, bio-methane and other valuable co-products. (Source: California Ethanol & Power LLC Contact: California Ethanol & Power LLC, Larry Gilbert, Executive VP Agricultural Operations, (760) 344-1004, www.californiaethanolpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Sugarcane,  California Ethanol & Power ,  Ethanol,  

Carbon Storage
Date: 2019-05-15
Researchers at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel investigating the possibilities and limits of the sub-sea CO2 storage report it is possible to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions by separating CO2 from flue gases and storing the captured CO2 in geological formations. The researchers also note negative emissions can be achieved by coupling biogas production with CO2 separation and storage.

Assessments by the IPCC show that these approaches are essential parts of the technology mix needed to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees C.

In Europe the largest potential to store CO2 is located offshore in deep saline aquifers and other sub-seabed geological formations of the North Sea where over 10,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled. At many of these wells, methane gas from shallow biogenic deposits is leaking into the environment because the surrounding sediments were mechanically disturbed and weakened during the drilling process. The study notes that CO2 stored in the vicinity of these wells may leak and ultimately return into the atmosphere.

"We have performed a release experiment in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea to determine the footprint and consequences of such a leak", explains study lead author Dr. Lisa Vielstadte from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

In the study, CO2 released at the seabed in 82 meters of water was tracked and traced using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with chemical and acoustic sensors and additional measurements on board of Research Vessel Celtic Explorer. The resulting data showed that CO2 gas bubbles were completely dissolved close to the seafloor and the pH value of ambient bottom waters was lowered from a background value of 8.0 to a more acidic value of 7.0 at the release site as a consequence of the dissolution process. This bottom water acidification has detrimental effects on organisms living at the seabed", However, strong bottom currents induced a rapid dispersion of the dissolved CO2 such that the area at the seabed where potentially harmful effects can occur is small.

Accordingly, the study tentatively concluded it is possible to store CO2 safely in sub-seabed formations if the storage site is located in an area with a small number of leaky wells, the report summarizes. (Source: Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , PR, 14 May, 2019) Contact: GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Dr. Lisa Vielstadte, +49 431 600-0, Fax:+49 431 600-2805, www.geomar.de/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

U.S. Gain
Date: 2019-05-08
Appleton, Wisconsin-based U.S. Gain, a leader in development, procurement and distribution of sustainable energy solutions, is reporting completion of its sixth renewable natural gas (RNG) landfill development project at the Carter Valley Landfill in Church Hill, Tennessee.

Methane gas from Carter Valley Landfill, which is owned by recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal specialist Republic Services, Inc., is captured, cleaned, and converted to RNG for the transportation sector. The project will generate enough RNG to fuel more than 80 class 8 trucks daily, displacing almost 1,500,000 gpy of diesel.

As a vertically-integrated renewable natural gas (RNG) supplier, U.S. Gain is investing in development projects at landfills, dairies and wastewater treatment plants, expanding availability of the cleanest fuel and energy solution for leading companies, fleets and fueling station owners. With an in-house proprietary risk management system, U.S. Gain is able to generate and monetize renewable credits, maximizing values associated with renewable natural gas. U.S. Gain has also built a network of GAIN Clean Fuel® natural gas fueling stations throughout the United States and Canada (Source: U.S .Gain, PR, 7 May, 2019) Contact: U.S. Gain, Stephanie Lowney, Marketing Manager, (920) 381-2190, www.usgain.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News U.S. Gain,  Renewable Natural Gas,  RNG,  

Loughborough Univ
Date: 2019-05-08
Loughborough University has been awarded £200,000 in grant funding from the UK Department for Transport and Supergen Bioenergy Hub -- a group of experts focussed on developing sustainable bioenergy systems -- for two projects which aim to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly. The projects will explore biofuel production, bioenergy carbon capture, and storage and utilisation.

One project, led by Dr Jin Xuan, a Senior Lecturer in Low Carbon Processes, will examine the role of e-biofuel in reducing emissions and increasing the sustainability of the road transport sector while enhancing renewable energy security. The research will examine the feasibility of a novel electrochemical process to produce biofuels while reusing the captured CO2.

The project will develop a new concept of e-biofuel which combines the advantages of both e-fuel (produced from renewable electricity and CO2) and biofuel (produced from biomass) to intensively decarbonise the road transport sector. It also provides Loughborough researchers with a new link to the Supergen Bioenergy Hub and the Department of Transport.

A second project led by Dr Tanja Radu, a Lecturer in Water Engineering, will research algae-based biomethane fuel purification and carbon sequestration. The project aims to develop and assess an innovative process for the simultaneous production of high-purity biomethane as a potential natural gas vehicle fuel, together with the sequestration of remaining biomass and biogas carbon into algal co-product and biochar.

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub at Aston University aims to bring together industry, academia and other stakeholders to focus on the research and knowledge challenges associated with increasing the contribution of UK bioenergy to meet strategic environmental targets in a coherent, sustainable and cost-effective manner. (Source: DfT, Loughborough University, East Midlands Business Link, 8 May, 2019) Contact: Loughborough University, www.lboro.ac.uk; Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Professor Patricia Thornley, Dir., p.thornley@aston.ac.uk, www.supergen-bioenergy.net

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bioenergy news,  Biofuel news,  CCS news,  Biogas news,  

Verbio
Date: 2019-05-03
Verbio Snares Atlantic Biodiesel Plant in Ontario (M&A) Verbio Diesel Canada Corp., a Canadian subsidiary of Germany-based Verbio Vereinigte BioEnergie AG reports it will purchase Atlantic Biodiesel Corp.'s 45 MMgy biodiesel production facility in Welland, Ontario, Canada. The sale is expected to close by mid-year.

Verbio produces about approximately 470,000 tpy of biodiesel as well as ethanol and biomethane. (Source: Verbio, May, 2019) Contact: Atlantic Biodiesel, (888) 339-3132, www.atlanticbiodiesel.com; Verbio, +49 (0) 3493 747-40, www.verbio.de/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News Verbio,  Biodiesel,  

Fortistar, TruStar,Beacon Energy
Date: 2019-05-03
White Plains, New York-based Fortistar reports it is extracting methane from landfills, converting it to RNG and, working with its affiliate TruStar Energy, paving the way for a sustainable transportation fuel supply chain.

For over 25 years, Fortistar has operated in dozens of landfill gas-to-energy projects in the U.S. and Canada while TruStar Energy has constructed 250 natural gas fueling stations.

Fortistar owns and operates lower carbon energy generating companies -- cogeneration facilities; waste-heat recovery power plants; compressed natural gas fueling stations; landfill power plants; projects that reduce carbon in industrial facilities and biomass facilities -- in Canada and the US.

Fortistar's portfolio of associated companies includes: Generational Power, TruStar Energy, Primary Energy, Fortistar Methane Group, Fortistar Biomass Group, Carbonfree Chemicals, Golden Renewable Energy and ClockIN. (Source: Fortistar, PR, May, 2019) Contact: Forttistar, Mark Comora, CEO, (914) 421-4937, MComora@fortistar.com, www.fortistar.com; TruStar Energy, www,turstarenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fortistar,  Methane,  RNG,  Renewable Natural Gas,  Landfill Gas,  Beacon Energy,  

Beto O'Rourke
Date: 2019-05-01
2020 Dem. presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke has released what he's calling "the most ambitious climate plan in the history of the United States and the most comprehensive climate policy proposal put out by any 2020 contender to date."

O'Rourke's proposal calls for halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050 through a program of: executive action; a $5 trillion over 10 years investment in a clean energy transition; and preparing vulnerable communities for the impacts of climate change.

Although the plan is focused on climate and energy -- cutting emissions and creating alternatives -- approximately $3.5 trillion is allocated through tax incentives, loans, and other financing mechanisms for infrastructure, research, resilience, and clean energy deployment. The outlay would be funded by "structural changes to the tax code" that end tax breaks to fossil fuel companies and raise rates on corporations and top earners. Of the remaing $1.5 trillion, $1.2 trillion would go to grants for sustainable housing, transportation, public health, farming, and start-ups.

As opposed to a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, O'Rourke is advocating a legally-binding net-zero emissions standard by 2050. The plan doesn't rule out pricing carbon but instead focuses on setting definitive goal posts. If elected, O'Rourke noted will re-enter the Paris climate agreement, implement rules to cut methane and other "super-potent" GHG emissions, tighten clean air rules, ramp up appliance efficiency standards, demand clean energy procurement from federal contractors, and end new fossil fuel leases on public lands. (Source: Vox, Various Media, 30 April, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Tax,  Methane,  Clean Air,  

Quantum Fuel
Date: 2019-04-29
Ventura, California-based alternative fuel systems provider Quantum Fuel Systems reports it has partnered with Quantitative BioSciences (QBI) on a new dairy biogas project in Modesto, California.

Under the agreement, QBI will purchase Quantum's newest ten Virtual Pipeline trailers for use in the biogas facility funded by the California Energy Commission. The project is being developed by QBI and Fiscalini Cheese Company, and will result in the construction of a biofuels production facility to purify and compress biomethane from anaerobic digesters into transportation fuel. When fully operational, the he project is expected to produce 450 diesel gallon equivalent of CNG per day, According the Quantum, (Source; Quantum Fuel Systems, BioiEnergy Insights, 25 April, 2019) Contact: Quantum Fuel Systems, Mark Arnold, Pres., 805-308-6067, www.qtww.com; Quantitative BioSciences Inc., Natalie Cookson, CEO, https://ca.linkedin.com/company/quantitative-biosciences-inc

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biogas,  Methane,  Niomethane,  Anaerobic Digestion,  CNG,  

Big Ox Energy,Green Energy Partners
Date: 2019-04-29
Last week in the Badger State, Denmark, Wisconsin-based Green Energy Partners Inc. subsidiary Big Ox Energy announced it was temporarily suspending biogas production operations in order to make repairs to "damaged digesters."

In reporting the Big Ox shutdown, the Sioux City Journal noted the company owes more than $3 million to the city of Sioux City and has reached out to vendors and suppliers to set up payment plans for outstanding bills. The paper also noted the company's permit to send pre-treated wastewater to Sioux City's regional wastewater treatment plant expires tomorrow, 30 April, and the city has not yet agreed to the company's renewal request. In addition, billing records show that the city has billed Big Ox more than $3.5 million in wastewater fees, fines and late fees since June, when Big Ox stopped making monthly payments. Big Ox also has outstanding sewer, electric and water rates and reportedly missed payments to area vendors.

The company has not indicated when it expects to resume methane production. (Source: Big Ox, Sioux City Journal, 28 April, 2019) Contact: Big Ox Energy, Kevin Bradley, Dir. Bus. Dev., (844) 491-1953, info@bigoxenergy.com, www.bicoxenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Big Ox Energy,  Biogas,  Biofuel,  Green Energy Partners,  

Methane
Date: 2019-04-26
A study of the economic consequences of a melting Arctic from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) in Espoo has found that the release of methane and CO2 from thawing permafrost will accelerate global warming and add up to $70 trillion to the worlds climate bill.

The study authors contend their study is the first to calculate the economic impact of permafrost melt and reduced albedo -- a measure of how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed -- based on the most advanced computer models of what is likely to happen in the Arctic as temperatures rise.

The study notes that on the current trajectory of at least 3 degree C of warming by the end of the century, melting permafrost is expected to discharge up to 280 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide and 3 gigatonnes of methane, which is 10 to 20 times more damaging to the the afmosphere than carbon dioxide. This would increase the global climate-driven impacts by $70 trillion between now and 2300, the report concludes. (Source: VIT, Weekened Leader, 22 April, 2019) Contact: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, +358 20 722 111, +358 20 722 7001 - fax., www.vttresearch.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News VIT,  Permafrost,  Climate Change,  Methane,  

Vaisala
Date: 2019-04-26
Further to our Feb. 4th coverage, Finnish environmental and industrial measurement specialist Vaisala Oyi has launched the world's first 3-in-1 in-situ biogas analyser, the MGP261.

The MGP261 relies on CARBOCAP® technology for measuring methane, carbon dioxide and humidity into a single compact probe that is EX-certified for operation directly in corrosive, potentially explosive biogas streams.

The Vaisala CARBOCAP® sensor's electrically tuneable Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) filter enables a reference measurement at a wavelength where no absorption occurs. When taking the reference measurement, the FPI filter is electrically adjusted to switch the bandpass band from the absorption wavelength to a non-absorption wavelength. With the MGP261, humidity and carbon dioxide are measured with the same optical filter, and a second optical channel measures methane.

Applications for the technology include anaerobic digestion and landfill gas monitoring, activated carbon filter monitoring in biogas treatment processes, and CHP engine feed gas monitoring. (Source: Vaisala, PR, Gas World, 25 April, 2019) Contact: Vaisala, Sampsa Lahtinen, Exec. VP Industrial Measurements, www.vaisala.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Vaisala,  Biogas,  

BikeFlights
Date: 2019-04-24
Bicycle shipping specialist BikeFlights.com is touting the launch of a new sustainability initiative to reduce and offset the carbon emissions resulting from all of its shipments.

Under its initiative, BikeFlights.com purchases high quality carbon offsets through its partner carrier UPS which then retires an equivalent amount of carbon offsets from verified carbon reduction projects. Target projects have included improved forest management, methane and landfill gas destruction and wastewater treatment.

BikeFlights .com has also adopted other environmentally-friendly practices to be more sustainable, including helping to reduce the impact of customer travel, having a remote workforce, reducing its own materials consumption, sourcing boxes locally and recycling. It also works toward the sustainability of cycling as a sport. (Source: BikeFlights.com, PR, BikeBiz, 23 April, 2019) Contact: BikeFlights.com, Sue George, VP, (541) 705-2453, www.bikeflights.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Offsets,  Carbon Credits,  

SynTech Bioenergy,Waste Resource Technologies
Date: 2019-04-24
Englewood, Colorado-based carbon-negative clean energy specialist SynTech Bioenergy is reporting an agreement with Waste Resource Technologies, Inc. (WRT) to immediately begin deploying SynTech's proprietary BioMax® power generation solution to convert green waste collected by WRT, as well as fruit processing waste from certain agricultural operations on Oahu, HI, to renewable energy. This initial project will keep an estimated 1300 tpy of waste out of landfills or otherwise kept from normal decay, the methane from which would have been 21 times more harmful to the Hawaiian environment than CO2 -- up to 8000 tons of carbon, which will be removed from the local environments through the elimination of waste transportation, elimination of methane release and displacement of fossil fired power and heat by BioMax®

Waste Resource Technologies, Inc. (WRT) is a waste collection, recovery and conversion company with operations in California and Hawaii. WRT uses technologies from leading bioenergy companies to transform waste into sustainable resources such as baseload electricity, renewable natural gas, alternative fuel pellets, and biochar. (Source: SynTech Bioenergy, PR, 23 April, 2019) Contact: SynTech Bioenergy, Wayne McFarland, Chairman and CEO, www.syntechbioenergy.com; Bioenergy Hawaii, www.bioenergyhawaii.com; Waste Resource Technologies, Kosti Shrivanian, CEO,

More Low-Carbon Energy News SynTech Bioenergy,  Waste Resource Technologies,  

Date: 2019-04-19
The newly released Global Voluntary Carbon Credit Tradin Market Report -- 2018-2023 report from Market Research covers market characteristics, sizes and growth, segmentation, regional breakdowns, competitive scenario, market share, trends and strategies, key players and other relevant issues.

The report finds the Asia-Pacific region will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions. In North America, the he United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Voluntary Carbon Credit Trading.

The report identifies Top manufacturers/players: Carbon Credit Capital, Terrapass, Renewable Choice, 3Degrees, NativeEnergy, GreenTrees, South Pole Group, Aera Group, Allcot Group, Carbon Clear, Forest Carbon, Bioassets, Biofìlica, WayCarbon, CBEEX, Guangzhou Greenstone. Market Segment by Type, applications (REDD carbon offsets, renewable energy landfill methane projects and others) and regions.

Report details are HERE. Report Sample Copy HERE; Browse Full Report HERE (Source: Industry Research, Marilyn Coleman, 16 April, 2019) Contact: Industry Research, +1 424 253 0807 / +44 203 239 8187, sales@industryresearch.co

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit Trading news,  Carbon Market news,  

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit Trading,  Carbon Market,  

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit Trading,  Carbon Market,  

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Credit Trading,  Carbon Market,