2. Why is biogas to CNG a relevant topic
of discussion?
• With solid waste industry leading the way on
conversion of fleets, a natural ‘closed loop’
exists.
• Opportunity for smaller landfills & digesters not
previously seen as financially viable.
• Potential for higher value at existing biogas-
energy projects.
• Bring value to a non-performing asset – flared
gas.
• Renewable energy markets in flux with low
natural gas prices.
3. BioCNG System
• Developed to economically produce biogas-
based CNG at small scale (200-1,000 GGEs day).
• Allow public and private entities to produce
their own vehicle fuel at a fraction of the cost of
gasoline or diesel.
• Unison Solutions official manufacturer of
system, and BioCNG, LLC official supplier.
4. CNG Fuel
• In June of 2014, the national average CNG
retail cost is $2.11. That is $1.28 less than a
gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) and $1.78
less than a diesel gallon equivalent (DGE).
Source: CNG NOW. Retrieved from www.cngnow.com/average-cng-
prices/pages/default.aspx
5. Natural Gas Vehicle Market
• About 5% of all heavy duty trucks sold next
year will run on natural gas, up from around
1% this year, according to industry projections.
“Truckers Tap Into Gas Boom”, Wall Street Journal, 10/30/2013
6. Ford CEO – Alan Mulally
• Q: What else is in the future for Ford and the
U.S. auto industry?
• A: “Looking forward, I think we're going to
see more biomass fuels. I think we're going
to see more natural gas vehicles…”
9. Waste Industry Leading the Way
• In 2013 about 60% of all new garbage trucks
purchased use natural gas.
“Truckers Tap Into Gas Boom”, Wall Street Journal, 10/30/2013
10. Future - Landfill Heavy Iron
• “In addition, the authority is working with
Volvo Inc. on tentative plans for the
conversion of the landfill's heavy equipment
to CNG....”
11.
12. BioCNG - Renewable Natural Gas -
Biomethane
** Same infrastructure for
RNG as for fossil fuel-CNG
13. Biogas-CNG Benefits
• Builds out alternate fueling infrastructure
– Distributed cleaner, greener infrastructure
• Major greenhouse gas reductions
– 85-115% GHG reductions v. gasoline/diesel
– Using otherwise wasted resource
• Benefits stay at home
– Fuel savings (and credits) accrue to local public and private
entities
– Infrastructure primarily from local sources - GC, electric,
construction, permitting, fueling station
• Significant savings over gasoline and diesel
– 50-75% savings over current gas/diesel cost
• Control and distributed source
– Fuel cost locked in for 15-20 years
15. Primary Targets for CNG Vehicles
• Trash, recycling, cement and
other vocational work trucks
• Transit buses/shuttle
buses/school buses
• Major metro fleet
management and public works
departments
• Heavy-duty freight trucks
• Medium-duty delivery and
commercial service trucks
• Taxis and light-duty service
vehicles
The more fuel used – the quicker
the payback
High fuel use vehicles with
return-to-base operations or
repetitive route or pre-set
geographic operating areas.
• Regional freight truck – 16-
20K GGE
• Transit buses – 12.5-15K GGE
• Refuse trucks – 7.5-10K GGE
• Municipal sweeper – 5-6K
GGE
• Airport shuttle service – 5.5-
7.5K GGE
• Taxi - 4.5-5.5K GGE
• School Bus – 2-3K GGE
16. Trucks & Buses Shifting To CNG:
Cleaner, Quieter & Cheaper Fuel
Fleets, Communities & Drivers Love Them
19. Current BioGas to Fuel Projects in the US
Site State Details
Dane County Landfill WI 25-30 solid waste and parks fleet
Janesville Wastewater Plant WI 40+ vehicles by 2022
City of Riverview Landfill MI Growing local municipal fleets
Sacramento Biodigester CA 40+ recycling vehicles
St. Landry Parish Landfill LA 15+ vehicles - Sheriff’s Fleet
Blue Line Biogenic CNG Facility CA Under construction (May 2014)
Grand Junction WWTP CO Under Construction (December 2014)
DeKalb County Landfill GA Pipeline injection & on-site fueling
Altamont Landfill CA 300-400 refuse trucks
Columbus Bio-Energy Digester OH 25+ vehicles
Fair Oaks Dairy IN 42 milk-delivery semis
McCommas Bluff Landfill TX RNG via pipeline
Rumpke Landfill OH 10-15 refuse trucks
Sauk Trails Hill Landfill MI RNG via pipeline
20. Projects
• Dane County Landfill (WI)
– Operational March 2011 – Replaced BioCNG 25 with BioCNG 50 and
new fueling station
– County plans to move 900 vehicles to CNG
• City of Janesville WWTP (WI)
– Operational February 2011
– Hybrid BioCNG 50
• St. Landry Parish Landfill (LA)
– Operational March 2012 – planning for additional unit
– Fueling Sheriff’s fleet; plan to sell fuel to private haulers
• CleanWorld Sacramento Biodigester (CA)
– Operational May 2013
– BioCNG 100 (Additional BioCNG 200 in Q2 2014)
– Fueling Atlas Disposal collection fleet
21. • City of Riverview Landfill (MI)
– Operational May 2013
– BioCNG 100
– Fleet fuel; plan to sell fuel to third party
• Zero Waste Energy (CA)–Blue Line Biogenic CNG Facility
– Under Construction-Operational 3rd quarter 2014
– South San Francisco-BioCNG 100
– Food Waste Digester
• City of Grand Junction, (CO)
– Under Construction-Operational 2015
– Persigo Wastewater Treatment Facility – BioCNG 100
Projects
22.
23. Biogas/Vehicle Fuel System
Information
System Size Biogas Inlet
Flow (scfm)
Fuel
Production
(GGE/day)
Fleet Size Per Unit
Light duty Heavy duty
BioCNG 50 50 200-300 20-27 2-4
BioCNG 100 100 375-600 38-55 5-8
BioCNG 200 200 775-1200 77-110 11-17
34. Biogas-CNG v. CNG Cost
• CNG – current national average price $2.11 at the
pump (at today’s historically low NG prices)
• CapEx – O&M
– 200 cfm, 55% methane, H2S-1,000 ppm, siloxanes-
2,000 ppb, $.07 kWh
– CapEx for BioCNG 200 and Combination Fast Fill and
Time Fill Fueling Station: $1.6M plus
installation(installation starting at $500,000 and varies
by location). (all equipment and services to take raw
biogas to CNG as a budgetary estimate only)
– Estimated DGE Production Cost (w/no Incentives)
• $0.59 DGE (media, electricity, labor, replacement)
• With combo fast fill and time fill fueling station –
add $0.60-$0.80 DGE
• With federal (add $0.245) and state excise taxes
(varies)
35. Bio-CNG 200: Sample Project
200 cfm of landfill gas at 55% methane
• Fuel Production
– 275,000 Diesel Gallon Equivalents
(DGEs) per year
• 757 DGEs/day - enough fuel for ~25 HDVs
(or ~40-50 light duty vehicles)
• Fuel Savings
– $350-500,000 in annual fuel savings
• Assuming savings of $1-2 gallon on diesel
costs during financing – greater savings
later
• Federal Renewable Fuel Credits (RINs)
– $177,000 per year ($0.74 per DGE)
– $480,000 per year ($2.00 per DGE)
– Not a ‘tax credit’ – payment to RIN dispenser
• Additional Costs
– New vehicle
premium or
conversion
– Maintenance facility
upgrade
– Staff training
• Additional Benefits
– Trucks 10x quieter
than diesel
– PR-community
relations
– Air pollutant
reductions
– Competitive
advantage
– Driver satisfaction
36. Federal Renewable Fuel Standard Credits
• Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs)
– Means to track, register and monetize
environmental attributes of alternative vehicle fuels
– Available through 2022
– Direct payment – not a tax credit
• The Advanced Biofuel (D-5) RIN has fluctuated
significantly over the past two years, ranging
from as low as $0.35 to as high as $1.20 per
RIN. This equates to $0.59-$2.04 per DGE of
CNG produced and used.
36
37. Pacific Northwest Incentives
• Oregon
– In 2014, ODOT issued a Congestion Mitigation and
Air Quality (CMAQ) grant for CNG infrastructure
for up to $4,000,000
– 2015 Kate Brown makes it official, signs bill
pushing Oregon's low-carbon fuel standard
– Others
38. Biogas-CNG Summary
• Low cost fuel and fixed long term
• Potential to pay back investment 2-3
years w/RINS
• Compatible with all CNG
infrastructure
• Greenest fuel
• Feasible at small scale
