Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has reached a historic milestone in its commitment to decarbonize its natural gas system and expand on technologies that support the production of new, carbon-free and carbon-neutral energy resources. For the first time in the company’s history, it has begun the process to purchase California-produced renewable natural gas (RNG) for residential and small commercial customers. The company is also announcing a new biomass-to-RNG project.
These clean-energy advancements come as the nation celebrates Clean Energy Action Month. They also support tenets of California’s SB 1440 and related policies.
“A clean and decarbonized energy future requires bold steps and breakthrough technologies. We’re excited and eager to partner with other change-makers in Northern California to expand and scale the production of clean, renewable natural gas from the abundant wood waste available within our state,” said Engineering, Policy and Strategy Executive Vice President, Jason Glickman.
Breaking New Ground – Converting Wood Waste to Natural Gas
PG&E has launched an initiative to purchase California-produced RNG for its natural gas customers, the first step in a plan to procure RNG to serve 15% of its residential and commercial demand by 2030.
A new woody biomass-to-RNG partnership pilot project will serve as the first contract secured toward these goals.
Each year, PG&E prunes or removes dead, diseased, or dying trees that may compromise powerline safety. A critical part of PG&E’s wildfire prevention efforts, the Vegetation Management work will also help supply forest waste for the pilot project.
The woody biomass-to-RNG project, a collaboration between PG&E and West Biofuels located in Woodland, Calif. will test new technology that converts wood and forest waste into a clean source of pipeline-ready natural gas. The facility uses advanced technology to convert most of the renewable carbon in the biomass into natural gas, maximizing output and eliminating emissions during production. This RNG source will provide natural gas service to residential and small commercial customers.
RNG For PG&E Customers
Outside of this pilot, PG&E looks to issue a second round of RNG procurement before the end of the year. These projects are to be located in California and must create RNG from organic waste. Multiple types of organic waste feedstock will be eligible to participate, such as food waste, wastewater, and wood waste. More information will be available on PG&E’s new RNG procurement webpage.
New RNG Interconnections
PG&E also continues to connect new California RNG production sites to its gas pipeline system and is planning to interconnect a new landfill-based RNG facility located in the Bay Area in early 2024. As of October 2023, PG&E has delivered more than 1.5 billion cubic feet of RNG to buyers within the transportation sector that fuel up at one of PG&E’s 22 compressed natural gas facilities.
