The American Biogas Council (ABC) announced the results of its annual board election. Richard Cooper, Vice President of Business Development at NW Natural Renewables, was voted in as the board鈥檚 newest member, adding a fifth board member affiliated with a U.S. natural gas utility. In addition, six board members were re-elected.
鈥淎s the American Biogas Council grows to serve a growing industry, we鈥檙e pleased that our membership has again voted in an extremely talented group from companies that help ensure our leadership represents the entire biogas supply chain,鈥� said the ABC鈥檚 Executive Director Patrick Serfass. 鈥淭ogether, we will lead the way to a better future by maximizing all the positive environmental and economic impacts biogas systems offer when they recycle organic material into renewable energy and soil products.鈥�
Elected Directors include:
路听听听听听听听听 Ivor Castelino leads Bloom Energy鈥檚 waste-to-energy and carbon capture business development efforts. He was instrumental in the deployment of the first-ever fuel cell projects running on landfill gas and dairy biogas.
路听听听听听听听听 Donald Chahbazpour听颈蝉 National Grid鈥檚聽Director of Policy and Regulatory Strategy-Future of Heat, leading the company鈥檚 efforts to implement gas decarbonization and reduce methane emissions through policy, strategy and technology. The group is also responsible for engaging stakeholders to raise awareness regarding the potential of renewable natural gas and hydrogen, and how the gas network can enable the energy transition.
路听听听听听听听听 Richard Cooper聽leads business development activities at NW Natural Renewables聽(NWNR), part of the Northwest Natural Holding Company, which is investing in renewable energy and the transition to a decarbonized future, through the production and supply of low-carbon fuels such as renewable natural gas. Prior to joining NWNR, Cooper spent 20 years at DTE Vantage in a variety of roles, including developing dairy and landfill-based RNG projects.
路听听听听听听听听 Craig Frear, PhD.,听颈蝉 Director of Research and Technology for Regenis, a Washington state company specializing in anaerobic digestion and nutrient/water treatment of dairy manure and co-digestion substrates, providing EPC, construction management,聽O&M, and consulting services to projects. Prior to his Regenis position, Craig was an Assistant Professor at Washington State University, managing a team that provides research on the environmentally beneficial use of manure and other organic waste streams.聽In addition to his research, Dr. Frear is the co-author of 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds five patents.
路听听听听听听听听 Thomas Murray聽serves as the Vice President of Decarbonization Technology for Vermont Gas Systems, overseeing the company鈥檚 efforts to procure and develop renewable natural gas (RNG) supply. Tom has been a forerunner in the RNG industry, leading the company鈥檚 RNG聽initiatives, which include becoming the first gas utility in the nation to offer a voluntary RNG program and to blend RNG into its base supply.
路听听听听听听听听 Brad Pleima听颈蝉 the President of EcoEngineers, a consulting, auditing, and advisory firm with an exclusive focus on the energy transition. Brad sets the strategic goals for the company, using his expertise from more than 20 years of leadership in the renewable emerging and engineering industry, including supporting the construction of more than $4 billion in anaerobic digester and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects nationwide.
路听听听听听听听听 Lauren Toretta听颈蝉 President/CEO and a Partner of CH4 Biogas, a leader in bringing proven, clean energy biogas and renewable natural gas solutions to the United States. At CH4, Lauren has a wide range of responsibilities, including managing corporate strategy and operations and leads the company鈥檚 focus on working with the agricultural and food & beverages sectors to provide environmental waste and renewable energy solutions.