Top: The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s treatment plant (above) began injecting RNG into NW Natural’s pipeline in November 2021. Photo courtesy of MWMC, Eugene, OR
NW Natural, a local distribution company that provides natural gas service to approximately 2.5 million people in more than 140 communities in Oregon and Southwest Washington, released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide renewable natural gas (RNG), or support the procurement of RNG, for delivery to its customers. The utility “invites RNG project owners, developers, and other interested stakeholders to respond,” stated NW Natural in the RFP announcement. “[We] desire to establish relationships with those seeking to sell a total or partial interest in existing RNG projects, sell raw biogas, sell pipeline-quality RNG, enter into feedstock supply agreements, as well as to develop new RNG projects. This RFP seeks RNG resources and/or associated Environmental Attributes from around the country and from a wide variety of feedstocks and sources, including renewable hydrogen resources.”
NW Natural notes that it is generally not seeking renewable hydrogen to be injected into its system at this time. “However, we are looking for low carbon hydrogen supply options to serve individual large industrial customers to use for process heat loads,” it explains. “In addition, investments leading to Renewable Thermal Credit (RTC) generation or the RTCs themselves created throughout North America from RNG, renewable hydrogen or methanated hydrogen are of interest.” Responses to the RFP are due May 23, 2022.
Among NW Natural’s current RNG suppliers is the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), a partnership between the Cities of Eugene and Springfield and Lane County. In 2021, construction of biogas purification facilities on the MWMC’s Wastewater Treatment Plant grounds was completed, along with NW Natural’s receipt point facility. The MWMC first injected RNG into the NW Natural pipeline in November 2021, becoming the first public agency in Oregon to do so. Through this project, the majority of biogas the MWMC produces will be converted into RNG and then injected into NW Natural’s pipeline system. Previously, the MWMC utilized about 60% of its biogas to power the treatment plant, and the remaining 40% was flared to the atmosphere. An informative video about the RNG project can be viewed at this link.
