WTE & Biogas
MIT offshoot Emvolon inks landfill-to-methanol deal with Freepoint
MIT spin-off Emvolon announced a seven-year offtake agreement and investment arrangement with Freepoint Commodities totaling $450 million, supporting the scaled deployment of its modular facilities that convert landfill gas into methanol.
Win Waste opts to close New York incinerator amid market challenges
Win Waste Innovations plans to close its Hudson Falls, New York, refuse-derived fuel facility, citing the high cost of meeting anticipated federal emissions standards. The closure, which requires grid operator approval, is unrelated to a local ordinance setting stricter pollution limits, the company says.
What’s next as Hawai’i enacts clean fuels program; Biogas news from Waga, Convertus
Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed SB 2999 on July 14, establishing a clean fuel standard targeting a 10% reduction by 2035 and a 50% reduction by 2045 (relative to 2019 levels). The state currently has only one RNG facility, but ABC estimates an additional 2.52 billion cubic feet of RNG could be captured annually. In industry developments, Waga and Casella's RNG facility at the Hyland landfill in New York has gone into operation, Convertus secured CAD 135 million in financing to build an organic waste processing facility in Ontario, Redtail Renewables signed a project at Yolo County landfill in California, and the City of Springfield issued an RNG partnership tender.
Ontario weighs new support for WTE amid disposal capacity questions
Ontario, Canada, has proposed a regulatory measure to treat biomass materials in municipal solid waste as bioenergy, designate related incineration facilities as renewable energy producers, and simplify incineration permit rules. This has triggered joint opposition from organizations such as the Canadian Zero Waste Coalition, which argue that waste diversion should be prioritized. The province is under pressure as landfill space is expected to be exhausted by 2037, and cities like Toronto are also exploring incineration options.
Philadelphia to retain Reworld, add Republic Services for waste
Philadelphia's sanitation department announced plans to award solid waste disposal contracts to WM, Reworld, and Republic Services, adding Republic while retaining the other two. The decision follows a contentious procurement process amid council opposition to waste burning.
One year after OBBBA, biogas tax credit questions remain
On the first anniversary of the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), implementation issues of the clean fuel production tax credit (45Z) remain unresolved. Established by the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, the credit's emission calculation methods, especially the accounting for emissions from different types of livestock manure, have long hindered the biogas industry from utilizing this policy. On June 12, the U.S. Department of Energy updated its lifecycle emissions guidance but did not include manure calculations. The American Biogas Council expressed appreciation for this while emphasizing that key updates have not yet been completed.
British Columbia wins regulatory victory for the biogas industry; GFL, Waga and others release latest RNG updates
The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) confirmed that utilities can include the purchase of renewable natural gas (RNG) credits in their decarbonization strategies, securing a key regulatory victory for the biogas industry that relies on such regulatory frameworks. This monthly report also summarizes the latest industry developments, including GFL and Opal Fuels building new RNG facilities in two locations, Casella and Waga starting operations at a new plant in New York State, Mobius Renewables acquiring Air Liquide's biogas asset portfolio, and Constellation Energy's minority equity investment in Pine Creek RNG.