With the rise of global warming, scientists worldwide are continuing to find new, more sustainable forms of energy to power our lives. One such form is renewable natural gas.
Renewable natural gas, often abbreviated as RNG, is gas harvested from organic materials like food waste or the methane produced by dairy farms. Unlike fossil fuels, which are harvested from deep underground, there is an almost unlimited supply of this energy source, and it is far better for the environment. It’s estimated that replacing about 20 percent of the current gas supply with RNG is equivalent to converting all buildings into electric-only energy by 2030.
Here are some other essential facts about RNG:
It’s carbon negative
Because it comes from organic waste that once absorbed carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, RNG helps reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. It captures more greenhouse gases than it emits, meaning it’s far better for the environment than fossil fuels.
What it’s used for
Right now, RNG is most commonly used as a diesel substitute in large vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint. However, since RNG can be used interchangeably with natural gas, there are still many untapped potentials. Its use as a heat source has been growing in recent years, and the solid waste could also be converted into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or animal bedding.
There’s a lot of it
In the United States alone, there are 2,200 billion cubic feet (BCF) of biomethane produced each year, or about 11 percent of the US’s natural gas consumption. All this biomethane is harvested from anaerobic digestion sources like landfills and manure, as well as crop and forestry residues.
It’s still just part of the overall plan
Because it’s carbon-negative, RNG is an integral part of reducing global warming and saving the climate. It’s also important because it can replace fossil fuels in high-energy consumption industries and machines, like diesel-powered vehicles. But it’s received criticism for distracting from other, even more beneficial forms of reducing greenhouse gases like electrification from solar and wind power. Because of this, it’s important to remember that RNG is not a be-all-end-all solution but just part of a larger plan to save the climate.