Renewable natural gas (RNG) and waste industry stakeholders filed聽joint comments聽on August 30 to the U.S. EPA鈥檚 2020 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) Proposed Rule. Joining the RNG Coalition in urging EPA to set the 2020 gaseous fuels portion of cellulosic biofuel volume to at least 650 million gallons to incorporate all RNG produced and available next year were the American Public Gas Association (APGA), Energy Vision, the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA), Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica), and the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).
The groups鈥� call for EPA to account for all RNG produced and available in 2020 incorporates production from more than three dozen new facilities now under construction. 鈥淐lose to 200 million gallons of new renewable natural gas fuel will be produced for the RFS in 2020 from 40 additional RNG production sites that companies are currently building up and down North America鈥檚 coasts and across its heartland,鈥� said RNG Coalition CEO Johannes Escudero. 鈥淪etting the RNG portion of the cellulosic biofuel requirement to at least 650 million gallons will continue to grow investment in this domestic renewable fuel as Congress intended, while providing a solution to organic waste disposal issues and increasing America鈥檚 fuel security.鈥�
RNG available next year will also include growth in production from many of the 102 operational RNG sites in the U.S. and Canada, and millions of gallons stranded by small refinery exemptions (SREs) and excess rollover volumes, all while demand for RNG biofuel continues to grow. 鈥淢ajor, nationwide fleets continue to invest in and expand their use of RNG due to its many benefits and track record of reliability and quality,鈥� the groups said in the comments.
The RNG Coalition and NGVAmerica聽announced earlier this year聽that in 2018, RNG fulfilled about 32 percent of all the transportation fuel used in the United States鈥� natural gas vehicles. 鈥淲hile RNG may be newly popular, it is hardly new. Since 1982, RNG has flowed freely through our nation鈥檚 robust natural gas pipeline infrastructure reaching consumers in industrial, commercial and residential settings alike,鈥� said RNG Coalition General Counsel David Cox. 鈥淏y utilizing proven treating technology to remove carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, siloxanes, sulphur, moisture and other trace components from raw biogas, RNG meets every standard of quality for productive and beneficial use.鈥�