Brightmark RNG Holdings has achieved first gas production at 10 of its renewable natural gas projects across the Midwest U.S., the company reported.
The new first gas production, which is still working toward full commercial operations, elevates Brightmark RNG’s standing as a leading dairy RNG producer which owns and operates 15 projects. The company is a joint venture with Brightmark LLC and Chevron USA, a subsidiary of integrated global oil and gas giant Chevron Corp., which is trying several new decarbonization technologies.
Dairy RNG facilities take waste from cows and use technology to convert the methane into usable RNG. Methane is considered multiple times more damaging as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2), many environmental scientists say.
"We're extremely excited to see these projects come online and begin reducing methane emissions while driving economic development in local communities," Bob Powell, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brightmark, said in a statement. "This milestone demonstrates the scalability of these solutions and determination from farmers to reduce methane emissions in one of the nation's largest agricultural regions."
So far, Brightmark RNG’s work has repurposed dairy farm waste and reduced an estimated 1.2 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent from the atmosphere, according to the company. Brightmark collects the organic dairy cattle waste, uses anaerobic digesters to extract the methane and then upgrades it to RNG for use as drop-in transportation fuel.
Among the farms incorporating the Brightmark anaerobic digesters and RNG production facilities include Boadwine Dairy Inc. in South Dakota. Boadwine milks about 1,700 Holstein cows daily, according to reports.
Others include VanEss and Legacy Dairies. The first gas was achieved in RNG operations at farms in Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
"Implementing anaerobic digestion at our farm is not only environmentally sound but also economically beneficial," said Lynn Boadwine of Boadwine Dairy. "Additional revenue generated from the RNG we produce provides a viable and economic solution to address recurring waste and makes the transition toward a lower carbon intensity agriculture more attainable. It's a win-win."
"Delivering first gas at 10 farms is a significant milestone," said Nuray Elci, Vice President, Renewables, Chevron. "Transitioning to a lower carbon intensity energy economy demands, among other things, ambitious goals, innovation, and practical solutions. This success highlights renewable natural gas's potential and fosters new opportunities for transport, industry, and consumers."
Typically RNG farms can be considered economically viable if they have a large herd of cows and are located within a few miles of existing natural gas pipeline systems.
In addition to Brightmark, other energy and agriculture companies working on converting dairy cattle waste into RNG include Gevo, Pilgrim’s Pride, Northern Biogas, Aemetis and Vanguard Renewables.
