Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) or Biogas
How it works
Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), also known as biomethane, is produced through the collection and processing of organic waste materials. Here’s an overview of the production process:
- Collection of Organic Waste: Organic materials such as agricultural waste, manure, food waste, and sewage sludge are collected. These materials contain biomass that can be converted into biogas.
- Anaerobic Digestion: The collected organic waste is placed in an anaerobic digester, a sealed, oxygen-free tank where microorganisms break down the organic matter. This process produces biogas, which is primarily composed of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), along with trace amounts of other gases.
- Biogas Purification: The raw biogas generated from anaerobic digestion is not suitable for direct use as pipeline-quality gas. It undergoes a purification process to remove impurities, including CO₂, water vapor, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), and other contaminants. This purification process typically involves several steps, such as:
- Carbon Dioxide Removal: Techniques like pressure swing adsorption (PSA), water scrubbing, or amine scrubbing are used to separate CO₂ from methane.
- Desulfurization: Hydrogen sulfide is removed using activated carbon filters or chemical scrubbing.
- Dehydration: Water vapor is removed to prevent pipeline corrosion and freezing.
4. Upgrading to Pipeline Quality: The purified biogas, now rich in methane, is further refined to meet the quality standards required for injection into the natural gas pipeline. This upgraded gas is known as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) or biomethane.
5. Injection into the Pipeline: Once upgraded, RNG is injected into the natural gas pipeline network. It can be used in the same applications as conventional natural gas, including heating, electricity generation, and as a transportation fuel.
How Does AGES contribute to the Industry and Market?
AGES has been troubleshooting, designing and installing biogas systems since 2007, and participated in the following projects:
1. Wisconsin
- Suring Digester Plant
- Crave Brothers Farm biogas project
- Montchevre Cheese Plant
- Dane County biogas project located just north of Waunakee
2. Michigan
- attempted rescue of a failing Lowell Energy biogas plant
- we simply were called in when to much Good Will had been squandered.
- we simply were called in when to much Good Will had been squandered.
Pre- Advanced Green Energy Solutions LLC
Joined Wolter Power Systems, a business brand of Wolter Inc, to undertake a business work-out of a “biogas strategy”. These efforts were successful and lead to the commercialization of intellectual property creating a marketing brand “Clear Horizons”; which later was incorporated in Wisconsin. As the build-out was studied and modeled a slower pace was identified, and initiated a change in ownership since three larger entities would no longer be necessary to fund the build-out pace in the business plan. Additionally, I lobbied state legislators to advance acceptance of new technologies and engineering solutions into the regulatory community and regulated enterprises.
Projects in:
- Wisconsin
- Indiana
- Iowa
