Clean Energy and Maas Energy Works to build RNG dairy production plants

Clean Energy Fuels

14/05/2024 12:49

May 14 (Reuters) - Renewable energy firm Clean Energy
Fuels  CLNE.O  said on Tuesday it will jointly develop renewable
natural gas (RNG) production plants at dairy farms across seven
states in the U.S. with RNG producer Maas Energy Works.
    The project will collect manure from dairies with a combined
herd size of about 35,000 cows, preventing methane emissions
from entering the atmosphere.
    
    CONTEXT
    Farming activities, including livestock, accounted for 10.6%
of country's greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, according to data
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that
agriculture emitted 278.4 million metric tons of methane in the
year.
    
    WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
    President Joe Biden passed the largest climate change
legislation in U.S. history in 2022, meant to kick off a boom in
American clean energy development including RNG.
    As countries are pushing for clean energy, companies are
investing in RNG production facilities as it is expected to
replace natural gas and reduce emissions.
    Kinder Morgan  KMI.N  executives said last year the U.S.
funding for clean energy projects will help the energy pipeline
operator accelerate its investments in RNG and carbon
sequestration.
    
    BY THE NUMBERS
    The nine sites are expected to cost about $130 million and
will be financed by Clean Energy.
    The projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will
produce about 4 million gallons of RNG annually and will be
distributed as transportation fuel at Clean Energy's RNG
stations.
    
    KEY QUOTES
    "This JV brings together expertise from a seasoned RNG
developer and producer and Clean Energy's extensive RNG
distribution network and growing RNG customer base." said Clay
Corbus, senior vice president at Clean Energy.

 (Reporting by Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay
Kishore)
 ((Tanay.Dhumal@thomsonreuters.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanayDhumal;))