The Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) treats 63,000,000 gallons of wastewater and produces 1,400 MMBtu per day of biogas. The excess gas was flared. WRA wanted to upgrade the biogas for pipeline injection to renewable natural gas (RNG) and to use resulting revenue through the sale of natural gas and energy credits to offset capital and operating costs at the facility.
Successfully taking an RNG project from concept to commissioning requires deep knowledge of clean fuels regulations and fuel and carbon markets. EcoEngineers was tasked as WRA’s renewable energy consultant throughout the project — from concept, through design, construction, and startup and ongoing compliance with the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
Key performance
EcoEngineers conducted training and education EcoUniversity workshops around the RFS and LCFS, voluntary markets, financial risk analysis, and ongoing compliance obligations.
EcoEngineers provided WRA with a financial pro forma analysis including a revenue sensitivity analysis.
EcoEngineers reviewed records management of the project and recommended best practices to fulfill compliance expectations. We reviewed feedstock mix and determined eligibility to generate cellulosic versus advanced biofuel environmental credits (RINs) under the RFS.
We assisted WRA with offtake options to find end users for use of the renewable natural gas as transportation fuel and with RIN sales to obligated parties.
Key results
EcoEngineers registered the project under the RFS to generate RINs and LCFS to generate LCFS credits.
WRA is working with EcoEngineers and an offtaker on contract details..
