Advantages of repurposing methane into renewable natural gas?

In recent years, technology has advanced to a point where we can convert gases from organic waste matter called biogas into an equivalent of natural gas called renewable natural gas (RNG).

What is renewable natural gas?

Renewable natural gas begins as biogas, which is derived from organic waste like crop residue, food scraps and animal waste from landfills, wastewater treatment and farms. Biogas must be purified before it can be considered RNG to use in heating appliances, powering cars, and generating energy.

Anaerobic digesters break down organic matter and separate the biogas from other materials. The biogas then goes through a cleaning process to ensure it meets gas pipeline standards before it is then metered and placed into the local gas distribution system or used for electricity, fuel or heat.

Is it cleaner?

Today, landfills, wastewater treatment plants and other locations emit gases directly into the atmosphere. With RNG, instead of the gases going into the atmosphere, they are captured through a series of wells, vacuum systems or anaerobic digesters and turned into a usable product such as vehicle fuel or gas for powering home heating appliances or stoves. Reusing something that would have gone to waste makes RNG a more sustainable option for fuel use or electricity.

In addition to preventing methane and carbon dioxide emissions from entering the air we all breathe, locally made RNG prevents the need to ship natural gas long distances and means less need to drill.

Is RNG readily available in the Midwest?

The EPA shows approximately two dozen active projects across Iowa and Wisconsin, including VERBIO in Nevada, Iowa. Thanks to agricultural operations across the region, RNG could easily pick up steam and become more common in the Midwest.

As of 2023, RNG accounted for less than 1% of natural gas production in the United States, but that number can increase dramatically with awareness, equipment and planning.

RNG also has already surpassed generation of conventional natural gas in total gas consumed by vehicles. New engine technology could make more vehicles reliant on natural gas, such as RNG, than diesel.

Check out the Alternative Fuels Data Center from the Department of Energy to learn more about the potential advantages of RNG and how it can power cars, homes and the future.