HOUSTON – bp and Aria Energy today announced a project to capture methane from waste at three California dairy farms and process it into renewable natural gas (RNG), which will then be supplied as fuel for the US transportation sector.
Agriculture accounts for nearly ten percent of US greenhouse gas emissions, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Capturing methane from farm waste can lower these emissions.
The process begins with anaerobic digestion, which involves microorganisms breaking down biodegradable material in a closed system called a digester. One of the end products is biogas, primarily methane, which can be processed into RNG and used to fuel vehicles.
Digesters will be installed at three dairy farms in California’s Central Valley, producing biogas from farm waste rather than allowing it to decompose and release methane into the atmosphere.
RNG-fueled vehicles are estimated to result in up to 95 percent lower emissions than those fueled by gasoline or diesel on a lifecycle basis, according to a US Department of Energy study.
The project, called RNG Moovers, combines the expertise of three companies:
Sean Reavis, senior vice president, bp low carbon and trading said: “This is a great opportunity to expand our RNG business and help meet the growing demand for natural gas vehicle fuel. RNG can play an important role in decarbonizing the transportation sector and helping bp and the world get to net zero emissions.”
Richard DiGia, president and chief executive officer, Aria Energy: “Our company is committed to converting low carbon fuel sources into clean, useful energy for vehicles, homes and businesses. These projects would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of partners like bp.”
Kevin Soares, owner, Soares Dairy Farms, located in California’s Central Valley and one of the project’s three dairy farms: “We really wanted to find a solution to help contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases on our dairy farm, but our ownership group was sceptical about the long-term prognosis of the project. When these unique partners met with us, we were confident the right parties were involved.”
Brent Verwey, president, Aligned Digesters: “It is an exciting time to have companies like bp and Aria committing to capturing emissions from dairy farms. It is strategic partners like these that will ensure each project’s long-term success. We look forward to working with dairy farmers and continuing to develop projects through RNG Moovers.”
bp’s ambition is to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net zero. bp is America’s largest energy investor since 2005, investing more than $125 billion in the economy and supporting more than 125,000 additional jobs through its business activities. For more information on bp in the US, visit http://www.bp.com/US.
Headquartered in Novi, MI with offices in Oakfield, NY; Frederick, CO and Gilbert, AZ, Aria Energy provides baseload renewable energy to utilities and other customers across the United States. Aria Energy owns and/or operates a diversified portfolio of 41 energy projects across 17 states, collectively representing 24,880 MMBtu/day of RNG and 207 MW of electric capacity. Aria Energy produces and supplies over 500 million gallons of renewable natural gas annually to fueling stations across the US.
Aligned Digesters is headquartered in Fresno, CA with offices in Madera, CA and Hanford, CA. Aligned is a fully licensed Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor with in-house engineering and design, construction management, operation and maintenance services. Aligned currently owns and operates 2 digesters including the largest of its kind in the state. Aligned specializes in turnkey solutions for dairy owners and its investors with comprehensive project development and integration. Aligned prides itself on a dairy first mentality with a long history in the dairy business. For more information, visit https://www.aligneddigesters.com.