Pipeline Biogas
Organic waste can be used to produce biogas for use as transportation fuel to generate electricity, providing heating and cooling, provide renewable hydrogen to power fuel cells, and more. Biogas can be used onsite or cleaned up and injected into gas pipelines for use in other locations. California enacted AB 1900 (Gatto) in 2012 to increase and facilitate pipeline biomethane use in California. As a result, the California Public Utilities Commission has adopted new standards for pipeline biomethane and allocated $40 million to help cover interconnection costs for pipeline biogas. The new standards and BAC’s comments on them are below.
Air Board Proposes New Pipeline Biogas Standards
AB 1900, legislation to promote the instate development and use of biogas, requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to propose pipeline biogas standards to protect public health. The California Public Utilities Commission must defer to the agencies in adopting those standards and must adopt additional standards…
CPUC Adopts Biomethane Procurement Program to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants
The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to adopt a biomethane procurement program to help the state meet its Short-Lived Climate Pollutant reduction requirements. The program requires California’s gas utilities to procure 73 billion cubic feet of biomethane – about 12 percent of residential and small business customers’ current gas use – from anaerobic digestion…