As governments and private enterprise seek to find energy sources of greater efficiency and lower ecological impact, many options are available. Hydro-power, solar and wind technologies, nuclear energy and geothermal harnessing are but a few promising sources alternative originators. Meanwhile, research continues in myriad other areas. Concerns over climate change, clean air, pure water and public health drive these studies. Key to their success is the achievement of the following goals:
- The reduction of carbon emissions
- The reduction of hazardous particulates
- The purification of oceans, rivers and streams
- Curtailment of hazardous waste
Sometimes neglected in this cause is natural gas. As a “fossil fuel” it is often dismissed as an acceptable power source. Simply stated, natural gas is an odorless, colorless effluvium the molecules of which consist of four hydrocarbon atoms and one carbon atom. The organic matter of decaying plants and animals retain their carbon energy as sediment and pressure buries it beneath the earth. Heat and compaction transform this stored energy into natural gas.
What Is RNG (Renewable Natural Gas)?
While cleaner than other subterranean substances like petroleum or coal, that described above still counts as a fossil fuel. The organisms from which it originates are millions of years in the ground. However, innovation now allows for the harnessing of natural gas from fresher produce, as it were. Renewable natural gas, or RNG, can now be extracted from, among other generators:
- compost heaps
- manure lagoons
How to Capture RNG
Recent technology affords a way to capture the methane from these forms of biomass. This biogas is then usable interchangeably with conventionally obtained natural gas. Anaerobic digesters, for example, break down the elements by removing the oxygen from the biomass, thereby releasing the methane for practical use. This result is also achieved through heating the biomass to partial oxidation.
How is RNG Used?
Renewable natural gas is employed to generate electricity and to power vehicles. Landfill gas is drawn from all over the United States, augmenting electrical grids with clean energy. Biogas production also takes place at hundreds of commercial livestock farms. The manure–once a nightmare to manage and dispose of–is digested for optimal methane release, leaving highly nutritious ash for fertilizer. Like landfill gas, it can apply to residential electric power. Alternatively, this energy energizes natural gas trucks and buses.
Wastewater treatment facilities are discovering natural gas among the solids filtered out from sewage. Current scientific estimates view this source alone as ultimately contributing 12 percent of electricity needs to American power plants. Presently, nearly 1,500 treatment facility utilize this clean power on site.
The Rogue Valley Clean Cities Coalition makes a point of educating the public on ways to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, specifically the use of alternative fuels. Call us at (541)621-4853 or visit our website for additional information on this efficient fuel.