NW Natural partners with Tyson Foods on RNG conversions
NW Natural is part of a pioneering partnership to convert methane from Tyson Foods facilities into renewable natural gas to heat homes and businesses.
The utility, a subsidiary of NW Natural Holding Company, is partnering with BioCarbN, a developer and operator of sustainable infrastructure projects, in its first investment under Oregon Senate Bill 98, the landmark new state RNG law that supports renewable energy procurement and investment by natural gas utilities.
Under this partnership, NW Natural has options to invest up to an estimated $38 million in four separate RNG development projects that will access biogas derived from water treatment at Tyson Foods’ processing plants, according to a news release.
In December, NW Natural exercised its option for the first development project in Nebraska, initiating investment in an estimated $8 million project. Construction on this first project is expected to begin soon and be complete before year’s end.
The four projects are expected to generate more than 1.2 million MMBtu of RNG each year—enough fuel to provide heat for about 18,000 homes NW Natural serves in Oregon.
“This partnership is just one step forward in what we intend to be many to follow as we work to source more and more of our supply from renewables over time,” said David H. Anderson, NW Natural president and CEO. “We have a long history of being leaders on environmental stewardship and climate change.”
To other natural gas utilities interested in undertaking RNG projects, Kathryn Williams, NW Natural vice president of public affairs, suggests working closely with a neutral partner to gather facts.
Working with the Oregon Department of Energy and an advisory committee, NW Natural helped lay the groundwork for legislation in the state by educating policymakers and other stakeholders about the opportunities around RNG and building a diverse coalition of partners to support the bill’s passage, Williams told American Gas.