The Biogas Opportunity

Prepared for Midwest NASEO

May 17, 2016

Jim Ramm, PE

Agenda

1. Introduction

2. Biogas & the Waste Water Sector

3. Biogas Potential (Iowa Case Study)

Introduction01

Methane From Biogas =

Renewable Natural Gas

Natural Gas Fueling is Growing

States with incentives available for NG fueling.Cummins Westport NG engines

CNG Station Map

Expanding Carbon Markets

Make RNG Projects Viable

One MMBTU of Pipeline Quality Biogas Methane Produced in the US and Used for

Transportation in California

Value of Gas $3.00 12.59%

Value of RINs $11.78 49.45%

Value of LCFS Credits $9.04 37.95%

Total $23.82 100%

We Are The Leader In Carbon Credit Realization

We Help You Navigate the New Energy Economy

Biogas & Waste Water Plants

02

Wastewater Plant of the

Future

• “Resource Recovery Facility”

• Drive toward “energy neutral”

• Conservative designs provide some plants with digestion capacity available

• Integration with solids handling/land application

• Nutrient recovery alternatives

• Beneficial use of biosolids

Co-digestion Trends at

WWTPs

• FOG

• Managing receiving quality/competition

• Rapid destruction/rich food source

• Smaller capacity impact/can load digesters more

• Industrial High Strength Wastes

• Careful selection for digestibility

• Also good potential for rapid gas generation

• Economic development tool

• Food wastes

• Challenges with non-organic food waste debris

• Opportunities for preprocessed organics

Evolution of Biogas Uses

Des Moines WRA – Case Study

• Biosolids Dewatering Improvements –2002-3

• Biosolids Storage Improvements –2003-4

• High Strength Waste Receiving – 2005

• Biogas Pipeline to Cargill - 2007

• Digester Improvements – 2011-2013

• Vehicle Fueling Station – 2011 (Not executed)

• Cogeneration Upgrades – 2014

• Digester Gas Improvements- 2015-2017

• Nutrient Harvesting – 2016-2019

Other cities that are doing or

looking into this model

• LeMars, IA

• Sioux City, IA

• Portland, OR

• City of Omaha, NE (Very Early Development)

• City of Lincoln, NE

• City of Cedar Rapids, IA

• King County (Seattle), Washington

• East Bay MUDSan Francisco, CA

• St. Petersburg, FL

• San Antonio, TX

The Future of Fueling

Biogas Potential03

POTENTIAL YIELD CAN BE MAXIMIZED BY MIXING FEEDSTOCK.

M3 biogas/tonne

Energy Recovery And Reuse Through Community Digestion

Abundant Biomass in The Midwest

• US will have 680 million tons of biomass

annually by 2030

• 155 million tons of crop residues

• 60 million tons of manure

• 10 states to produce two-thirds of that

volume - Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska,

Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas, California,

Indiana, South Dakota and North

Carolina

• Iowa will lead the nation in expected

crop residue production – about 31

million tons Source: Union of Concerned Scientists Fact Sheet

[Headline]

• Bullet One

• Bullet Two

• Bullet Three

Case Study: Iowa

What is the RNG potential?What is the RNG potential?

• RNG production from anaerobic digestion (AD) can create a market for energy crops, which will also hold nutrients in the soil.

• Fertilizer product from manure digestion has significantly lower pathogen levels relative to raw manure.

• Manure digestion is a recommended practice for odor control.

• AD provides opportunity to manage N and P Levels in manure.

Potential For Agricultural Inputs

Iowa’s Leadership in Biogas Development

EcoEngineers in partnership and support from the Iowa State Energy Office has taken the following steps to date-

1. Mapped biomass potential of the state of Iowa (IBAM) & Conducted outreach at 40+ Iowa counties to identify best potential locations for biogas production.

a. Developed regional waste shed reports, bio-methane potential tests, wastewater infrastructure design and financial pro formas at multiple locations with high biogenic carbon source.

b. Started evaluating environmental and economic impact of regional anaerobic digesters and energy crop production on nutrient runoff to improve overall water quality.

2. Currently, using above information to evaluate the economic impact of operating municipal wastewater systems as bio-refineries producing renewable natural gas and energy credits.

3. Working with state energy planning committee to provide above data for policy recommendations that could develop a new industry, create more resiliency in wastewater infrastructure and be a new source of renewable energy.

Obstacles/Opportunities For

Implementation

• Availability of high strength waste in the regional waste shed

• Capital Availability & Cost

• Size and Integration with Existing Facilities

• Regulatory Impacts

• Water

• Biosolids

• Utility Interconnects

• Gas Quality

• High H2S, Siloxanes

Jim Ramm, PE515.344.9715jramm@ecoengineers.us