As the world searches for ways to mitigate climate change, renewable natural gas (RNG) could become a critical resource. RNG is a clean alternative to harmful fossil fuels and conventional natural gas and can serve as a source of electricity, heat or vehicle fuel. There are many benefits of renewable natural gas, and the four main benefits are outlined in this article.
Read What is Renewable Natural Gas?
Conventional natural gas and RNG are sometimes confused. However there are many important distinctions between the two. RNG also offers unique benefits that conventional natural gas does not. Click the link below to read more about the difference between RNG and conventional natural gas.
Read What is the Difference Between Natural Gas and Renewable Natural Gas?
4 benefits of renewable natural gas
There are many benefits of renewable natural gas. Using RNG benefits the environment, and the user as it is practical solution along with a a clean one. The four main benefits of renewable natural gas are its environmental impact, practicality because of interchangeability with conventional natural gas, revenue generation potential, and increased energy security.
1. Environmental impact
RNG makes use of resources already present in our environment from sources such as landfills, wastewater plants and livestock operations. Raw biogas or methane from these locations is captured and from the environment and converted to RNG at a treatment plant. The removal of methane, a harmful gas, helps mitigate climate change and keep the areas with landfills, wastewater plants and livestock operations clean and free of excess solution. Use of RNG actually lowers greenhouse gas emissions
There are no negative environmental impacts associated with RNG. It is carbon-neutral, meaning that it contributes to no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Use of RNG actually lowers greenhouse gas emissions with methane capture.
The capturing and production of RNG is also much easier on the environment than extracting natural gas sequestered in the earth. Methods for extraction of conventional gas like fracking pollutes local water reservoirs. Conventional natural gas produces also produces methane when burned, while RNG produces no harmful byproducts when burned.
2. Can be used interchangeably with conventional natural gas
RNG can be used interchangeably with conventional natural gas, making it a practical resource. It can be distributed throughout existing natural gas pipelines and infrastructure.This interchangeability makes the decarbonization of municipalities, and the corporate, education and transportation sectors more feasible. This also makes fighting climate change in these sectors more feasible.
3. Can generate revenue
Along with the environmental and practical benefits of renewable natural gas, this resource also provides the opportunity to generate revenue. Landfill, wastewater treatment plant, livestock operation and other industrial companies owners can sell it to the natural gas grid for a profit. Owners of these locations can make money by capturing biogas already being released into the environment and remove carbon from the environment at the same time. It is a win win scenario.
4. Provides energy security
Another one of the benefits of renewable natural gas is the added security it provides. Switching from conventional natural gas to RNG will provide you with increased energy security because more RNG users gives enhanced diversity of supply and market adoption to the gas grid.
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