CalBioGas produces first RNG with Kern County dairy farms
CalBioGas, a joint venture between California Bioenergy, Chevron U.S.A., and local dairy farmers, successfully produced its first renewable natural gas (RNG) from dairy farms in Kern County.
CalBioGas brings technology and operational experience to help build digesters and methane capture projects to convert methane into RNG. CalBioGas, dairy farmers, and Chevron are funding digester projects across three geographic clusters in Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties. As they are completed, the projects will mitigate the dairy farms’ methane emissions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
N. Ross Buckenham, CalBioGas’ CEO, said: “The project is the result of efforts of a remarkable range of stakeholders, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utility Commission.
“CalBioGas is also honoured to be supported by a group of California’s dairy farmers, Farm Credit West and Chevron, California’s largest energy company.
“These projects bring so many win-wins – they help create local jobs, improve local air quality by producing RNG for use in low-NOx emission fleets, and reduce dairy methane emissions.”
The dairy biomethane projects are designed to send dairy biogas to a centralised processing facility where it will be upgraded to RNG and injected into local utility SoCalGas’ pipeline. The RNG is then marketed as an alternative fuel for heavy-duty trucks and buses.
“This is an exciting milestone that speaks to the capabilities and can-do attitude of our partners – CalBioGas and dairy farmers – to bring this RNG to the California vehicle fuels market,” said Andy Walz, president of Chevron Americas Products.
“Chevron is increasing RNG in support of our business and is making targeted investments and establishing partnerships, as we evaluate many emerging sources of energy and the role they will play in our portfolio. As a proud California company, we are pleased that local communities in the state will benefit from this investment.”
CalBioGas brings technology and operational experience to help build digesters and methane capture projects to convert methane into RNG. CalBioGas, dairy farmers, and Chevron are funding digester projects across three geographic clusters in Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties. As they are completed, the projects will mitigate the dairy farms’ methane emissions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
N. Ross Buckenham, CalBioGas’ CEO, said: “The project is the result of efforts of a remarkable range of stakeholders, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utility Commission.
“CalBioGas is also honoured to be supported by a group of California’s dairy farmers, Farm Credit West and Chevron, California’s largest energy company.
“These projects bring so many win-wins – they help create local jobs, improve local air quality by producing RNG for use in low-NOx emission fleets, and reduce dairy methane emissions.”
The dairy biomethane projects are designed to send dairy biogas to a centralised processing facility where it will be upgraded to RNG and injected into local utility SoCalGas’ pipeline. The RNG is then marketed as an alternative fuel for heavy-duty trucks and buses.
“This is an exciting milestone that speaks to the capabilities and can-do attitude of our partners – CalBioGas and dairy farmers – to bring this RNG to the California vehicle fuels market,” said Andy Walz, president of Chevron Americas Products.
“Chevron is increasing RNG in support of our business and is making targeted investments and establishing partnerships, as we evaluate many emerging sources of energy and the role they will play in our portfolio. As a proud California company, we are pleased that local communities in the state will benefit from this investment.”
