View Spring 2021 issue

Spring 2021

Barr assisted a dairy farm client with air permit applications for biogas generated by anaerobic digestion. The biogas is conditioned into pipeline-quality RNG and injected into a natural gas pipeline.

Renewable natural gas projects turn waste to energy

March 15, 2021

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is a fuel derived from organic material—think landfills, animal manure, agricultural and food waste, and wastewater treatment plants. As these materials decompose, they produce methane, which is both the primary constituent of conventional natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas when emitted directly to the atmosphere. RNG projects capture and clean up gases generated by these types of wastes, repurposing them as a direct replacement for conventional natural gas used to power homes, businesses, and vehicles.

RNG market drivers

The RNG market is dynamic, driven by regulatory, legislative, and societal objectives. Responding to growing consensus about the impacts of climate change and shareholder interest in reducing carbon footprint, more and more companies are making reduced or net-zero carbon pledges. RNG offers a way to meet these goals in the near term because of the low, if not negative, carbon intensity on a lifecycle basis compared to fossil fuels. RNG has the added benefit of being able to use the existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure.

Barr is a leader in helping clients develop and operate a variety of RNG operations. We provide technical and regulatory support for air permit applications, Phase I environmental site assessments, and risk management. We’re also beginning to support engineering design and construction of RNG processing and gas regulation systems. For more information, contact us.

About the authors

Jason Linkimer is an environmental professional with more than 20 years of experience. He serves clients across North America, using his environmental permitting and compliance expertise while also working to understand how the dynamics of environmental initiatives interact with an organization’s business and strategic objectives. He is passionate about renewable energy, recognizing both the environmental benefits and the economic opportunity associated with this market segment.

Brian Leahy has 30 years of experience providing broad air quality support to clients in the manufacturing, fuels, power, and mining industries. Much of his work centers on regulatory and technical analyses conducted in support of minor source construction permits, Title V permits, and Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits for clients in more than a dozen states.