In this blog, we’ll break down the science behind RNG and how everyday organic waste is being transformed into a more sustainable energy solution.

What Is RNG?

RNG is a biogas created from organic materials such as food waste, manure, and other carbon-based matter—the same types of materials you’d toss into your compost bin. Although RNG has been produced for many years, it has recently attracted increased attention as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels. It is pipeline-quality gas, fully compatible with regular natural gas, and can be transformed into compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The Science: How Organic Waste Becomes Energy

You may be wondering: How does something like leftover food turn into energy that can fuel vehicles, warehouses, and more?

The science behind RNG goes something like this: When organic material breaks down, it naturally releases gases. One of those gases is methane (the same gas that powers your stove or furnace). This breakdown happens through a process called anaerobic digestion, where tiny microorganisms essentially "eat" the organic material in an oxygen-free environment called a digester. The methane produced gets captured, cleaned up, and refined into RNG. (Methane is also captured directly from landfills, where decomposing waste releases gases that are collected through a network of wells and pipes rather than a digester.) Then, it’s ready to move through the same pipelines as conventional natural gas.

To break it down simply:

• Step 1: Organic waste materials (agricultural manure, food waste, wastewater biosolids) are collected and fed into a sealed digester. Landfill gas is captured separately through an underground network of pipes and wells.
• Step 2: Bacteria break down the matter, producing biogas.
• Step 3: Impurities are removed, and the biogas is purified until it’s at least 90% methane.
• Step 4: The refined RNG is compressed and injected into existing natural gas pipelines, ready for use!

RNG Benefits

The benefits of RNG go well beyond just powering a vehicle or cooking your food. RNG offers both environmental and economic benefits to the producers and consumers of the gas.

• It's sustainable. RNG is built entirely from waste materials that already exist. Instead of extracting something new from the earth, it turns what we'd otherwise throw away into something useful again.
• It increases fuel diversity. Because RNG leverages existing pipeline infrastructure and is generated continuously from a variety of local sources, it strengthens U.S. energy security and reduces dependence on foreign oil.
• It benefits the economy. RNG projects create jobs and drive local investment through the construction of processing facilities, fueling stations, and a growing market for natural gas-powered vehicles.
• It helps reduce pollution. Replacing diesel or gasoline with RNG significantly cuts the harmful emissions that contribute to smog and poor air quality. It also burns cleaner than conventional natural gas, containing fewer of the chemical byproducts associated with fossil fuels.
• It reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Producing RNG means capturing methane that would otherwise escape from landfills, manure lagoons, and wastewater treatment facilities—keeping a potent greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere and putting it to work instead.

What Is RNG Used For?

Since RNG uses existing natural gas pipelines, it can be used anywhere traditional natural gas is used. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Heating homes and businesses through thermal energy
• Powering stoves, water heaters, dryers, and other natural gas appliances
• Manufacturing (glass, steel, cement, paper, etc.)
• Food processing and commercial cooking

Additionally, RNG is used to fuel heavy-duty CNG and LNG vehicles, such as garbage trucks, transit buses, delivery fleets, and semi-trucks. It can also be converted to power marine vessels like container ships, as well as aircrafts.

Moving Into the Future

As our world moves toward greater sustainability and environmental consciousness, renewable energy is becoming increasingly relevant and valuable. In 2023, 79% of all on-road fuel used in natural gas vehicles was RNG. And that number will only increase, considering the RNG market is expected to grow by more than 13% per year.

UGI Energy Services offers RNG options through GHI Energy. GHI offers renewable natural gas to fleet operators. UGIES and GHI experts help customers navigate the natural gas and carbon credit markets, maximizing fleet value and achieving renewable energy goals.

For more information about RNG options offered through GHI, visit their website or contact us today to learn more about the science behind RNG!