Quantifying the Potential of Renewable Natural Gas to Support a Reformed Energy Landscape: Estimates for New York State

Public attention to climate change challenges our locked-in fossil fuel-dependent energy sector. Natural gas is replacing other fuels in mix. One way reduce the greenhouse (GHG) impact of natural replace it with renewable (RNG). The benefits utilizing RNG are that has no when combusted and utilized same applications as gas. can be injected into grid, used a transportation fuel, or for heating electricity generation. Less common include produce chemicals, such methanol, dimethyl ether, ammonia. GHG should quantified before committing RNG. This study quantifies potential production biogas (i.e., precursor RNG) from agricultural waste sources New York State (NYS). It unique because first provide this analysis. results showed only about 10% state’s resources generate biogas, which small fraction processed on two operational facilities state. incorporating second substitute gas, “green” hydrogen, also analyzed. revealed injecting hydrogen pipeline system up 20% carbon emissions resulting usage, significant reduction. Policy analysis NYS shows several state federal policies support production. However, value increased 10-fold by applying similar incentive policy California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).