The American Biogas Council (ABC) released new data showing, on a state-by- state basis, the energy production and waste recycling benefits that a full build-out of potential biogas systems could provide. 聽The data 鈥� provided via an interactive map聽鈥� includes the number of existing and potential biogas operations in each state, the current and potential biogas energy production capacity, and the resulting climate and economic benefits.
Biogas聽is energy captured from organic materials like manure, food waste and wastewater solids as they break down. It can be used to power and heat homes, fuel vehicles, and generate electricity. Biogas is often purified to nearly pure methane, which is then called renewable natural gas (RNG) and used as a replacement for natural gas. In addition, the process produces nutrient-rich organic fertilizer that offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic soil additives.
The newly released data indicates that if potential capacity is fully realized, the U.S. biogas industry could generate 29 million kilowatts of renewable electricity annually. That鈥檚 enough electricity to power 23.7 million homes, or nearly all households in Texas and California combined. Similarly, a fully built-out biogas sector could provide enough fuel to supply 40.4 million vehicles a year鈥攐r all the passenger vehicles in California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania combined. All of this energy would be produced from the 1,400,000 tons of farm animal manure and 6,500,000 tons of municipal wastewater biosolids (sludge) produced in the U.S., along with 33,000,000 tons of inedible food waste sent to landfills each year.
鈥淎merica鈥檚 biogas producers not only create reliable energy and natural fertilizer from material that would otherwise be wasted, they provide real economic benefits and help ensure clean water and air,鈥� said ABC Executive Director Patrick Serfass. 鈥淏ut we need more systems built. For the billions of tons of waste, the nation produces each year the U.S. has too few biogas systems to manage it. This new data reveals the immense benefit that building more biogas systems would bring.鈥�