Aemetis receives approval for 24-mile pipeline extension for biogas transportation

Aemetis Biogas LLC has received approval to extend its biogas pipeline by an additional 24 miles using the public right of way.
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis on a 4 to 0 vote.
The pipeline transports biogas from dairy digesters to a centralised renewable natural gas (RNG) upgrading facility located at the Aemetis Keyes biofuels plant.
The pipeline extension will enable Aemetis to add 21 additional dairies to the Aemetis Biogas project in Stanislaus and Merced Counties, according to the company.
As the biogas pipeline is being built, encroachment permits are expected to be obtained for each section using detailed engineering designs and relying on the County’s CEQA environmental approval, it added.
Aemetis has already installed 36 miles of biogas pipeline, and with this additional 24 miles of pipeline, the company has CEQA approval for a total of 60 miles of public right of way for a biogas gathering pipeline that will collect biogas from an aggregate of 38 dairies.
The Aemetis Biogas pipeline project, including dairy digesters, collection pipeline, centralised biogas upgrading facility, RNG fueling station and PG&E gas pipeline interconnection, is investing more than $300 million (€274.6 million) in California’s Central Valley.
“With 36 miles of biogas pipeline already built, seven operating dairy digesters, and biogas digesters under construction for ten more dairies, this new approval for 24 miles of biogas pipeline serving an additional 21 dairies is another significant milestone for the Aemetis Biogas dairy RNG project,” said Eric McAfee, chairman and CEO of Aemetis.
“The capture of methane at dairies and conversion into below-zero carbon intensity renewable fuel to replace diesel for heavy trucks provides immediate benefits, improving regional air quality, reducing methane and carbon emissions, and providing a lower cost renewable fuel for heavy trucking.”