Liberty (RNG), LLC (Liberty), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada-headed diversified international generation, transmission, and distribution utility Algonquin Power & Utilities Corporation (AQN) has announced the recent completion of its acquisition of Sandhill Advanced Biofuels, LLC (Sandhill), a US developer of dairy farm anaerobic digestion (AD) and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects.
Sandhill Advanced Biofuels currently has a portfolio of four projects in the state of Wisconsin (WI). The completion of this acquisition represents Liberty’s first investment in non-regulated renewable natural gas (RNG).
The Sandhill portfolio of projects is an important one for Liberty: it gives us an opportunity to apply our expertise in renewable development to an energy-generation method known for its low net carbon intensity and gives us a strategic foothold in a highly attractive sector of the RNG market, said Jeff Norman, Chief Development Officer, AQN.
Once all four projects are fully operational, they will sequester methane from dairy operations to produce an aggregate of ~500 MMBTU/day of RNG for the transportation sector.
More and more, our corporate customers are demanding renewable energy sources to fuel their operations. In conjunction with our investments in wind, solar and hydro, RNG will help us expand our renewables capabilities, and get us closer to meeting our net-zero goals, Jeff Norman explained.
RNG to grid
The farm-based biodigesters and upgrading systems use anaerobic digestions to produce negative carbon-intensity RNG which is injected into the natural gas pipeline system, displacing carbon-based natural gas.
Additionally, the projects are expected to provide local farmers with ancillary revenue and support their efforts to optimize waste management and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Two of the sites are now fully operational with the other two anticipated to come online in 2023.
We’re keen to apply our development skills to projects in the RNG space, and, in the spirit of our company’s business model and values, we remain committed to working with local stakeholders as we seek to build out this new business segment, Jeff Norman said.
Join NY hydrogen hub
In addition, continuing its investment into innovative clean energy fuel solutions, Liberty has signed on as one of over forty hydrogen ecosystem partners participating in a multi-state agreement led by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
The consortium of partners will contribute to the development of a proposal to become one of at least four regional clean energy hydrogen hubs to support New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 85 percent by 2050.
Liberty is committed to delivering innovative clean energy solutions to its customers and communities, and forging strategic partnerships with like-minded public and private stakeholders focused on advancing the adoption of cost-effective, clean energy solutions for a collective sustainable future, ended Jeff Norman.
