Every year, U.S. households, institutions, factories, and farms throw away so much garbage, yard trimmings, crop residues, and other organic wastes that, if turned into a source of energy, it could power almost every urban truck and bus fleet in the nation. This fuel, called “renewable natural gas” (RNG) or “biomethane” is interchangeable with fossil natural gas but has distinct advantages over it. Wastebased natural gas generates close to zero greenhouse gases on a well-to-wheels basis, produces almost no health-threatening particulate emissions, and its production requires no drilling! By throwing away all manner of organic wastes, Americans have actually been destroying a vast renewable fuel feedstock while also draining public budgets.
This Guide (Renewable-Natural-Gas-Community-Guide) has two overall goals: The first is to clarify the distinct and significant contribution that waste-based natural gas can make in reducing U.S. dependence on oil – primarily for transportation fuel. The second goal is to provide communities with the steps they can take to turn their residential and commercial organic wastes, and possibly the organic wastes generated locally into a clean, secure, money-saving fuel solution.
WCTA member, Biomethane in Lynden Wa., is already testing the possibilities of producing RNG from farm waste. While current technologies to produce biomethane from farm waste are generally too expensive for all but the largest farms, Biomethane offers a cost-effective biological process for the biodigestion of dairy waste into fuel. So far, the Vander Haak Dairy in Washington is selling RNG fuel made from its dairy waste to the Bellair Airporter Shuttles which will use the fuel to power its route from Vancouver B.C. to Sea-Tac, WA. (Welcome Biomethane)