Never under-estimate the versatility of biogas from anaerobic digesters. An energy company in Seattle, Wash., is looking at a plan to turn biogas into compressed natural gas to fuel trucks, at a price significantly cheaper than diesel fuel, according to a story in the Yakima Herald-Republican.
Promus Energy, an energy development firm, is working with local dairies to create the vehicle fuel, sell it to truck-fleet owners, and build filling stations. Right now they’re trying to raise the $20 million the project will cost to start up.
Nothing says biogas from wastewater treatment plants’ anaerobic digesters couldn’t be handled in a similar fashion. I have read and reported about treatment plants’ digester gas being sold to gas processors for use as home heating fuel. Fuel for cars and trucks easily could be next.
Right now, according to the newspaper, there are eight manure digesters in Washington. Until now, the gas they produce has been used mostly to generate electricity, but that has become less profitable as electric utilities have reduced the prices they are willing to pay for the power.
To create the vehicle fuel, the energy company would scrub the digester methane into a cleaner form with higher heating value. The project dovetails with a fast-increasing supply and falling prices that in general make natural gas more viable as a vehicle fuel.
Already, some dairies are using natural gas vehicles, including Fair Oaks Farms, a consortium of dairies in Fair Oaks, Ind., which runs 42 milk-delivery trucks that run on natural gas, the newspaper reported: “They started by purchasing fuel for the trucks, but in October this year they began harnessing their own...The area near Fair Oaks has six digesters, and five of them generate electricity, not natural gas.”
Will wastewater treatment plants soon be importing food waste and other materials to supplement biogas production and take the gas to market as vehicle fuel? The only answer for the moment is: Stay tuned.
Read about the Promus Energy dairy project at http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019988269_dairyenergy26m.html
