SoCalGas and PG&E host RNG workshop

Leaders in the biogas and renewable gas industry will gather in Sacramento, California, Oct. 5 to share their knowledge of the business. Utilities Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), San Diego, and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E), Sacramento, along with New York City-based national nonprofit organization Energy Vision, will host the free one-day conference called The Power of Waste: Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for California.

"The Power of Waste workshop brings together experts in the field of sustainable energy and provides a valuable day of learning and conversation for anyone interested in becoming more knowledgeable about renewable gas opportunities, including the economic and policy landscape," Lisa Alexander, vice president of customer solutions and communications at SoCalGas, says. "Renewable natural gas derived from organic sources like animal and plant waste is the next chapter as we look to maximize renewable sources of energy and clean our air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

The conference will include panelists from state agencies discussing their efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants and increase renewable energy production. Renewable gas developers—including those producing gas from dairies as well as landfill-diverted organic waste facilities—will share insight into building successful projects. Additional speakers will review the latest technologies that upgrade biogas to biomethane or RNG that meets utility pipeline specifications.

"RNG is one of the lowest carbon fuel sources available and drastically cuts health-damaging pollutants like particulates and NOx (nitrogen oxides)," Joanna Underwood, chair of Energy Vision, says. "Over its lifecycle, it cuts GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions 80 percent or more compared to diesel and is actually net-carbon-negative, according to the California Air Resources Board, when made from food waste. So, the more RNG gets made and used, the more it can reduce overall carbon emissions. California has the greatest biogas potential of any state. A recent study by UC Davis (University of California, Davis) estimates that the natural gas needs of around 2.4 million California homes could be fueled with RNG derived from the state's existing organic waste alone. We estimate California could produce enough RNG to replace 75 percent of its diesel road fuel consumption. In the workshop, we'll discuss practical ways to get there."

Sixty percent of the fuel used in natural gas vehicles in California is renewable and SoCalGas says it is expecting that to increase to 90 percent by 2018. 

"Arguably one of the greatest steps the state could take to reduce methane emissions from the dairy sector, as well as from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities, is to incentivize or otherwise enable the development of renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities at each site" Johannes Escudero, CEO at the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, says. "RNG projects capture and convert methane that would otherwise escape fugitively into the atmosphere as a super pollutant that is many times more potent than carbon and convert it for a positive end use, including as a feedstock for renewable electricity or ultra-low carbon transportation fuel."

The workshop is taking place at Capital Plaza Halls Oct. 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.