January 9, 2024. RNG Coalition was among contributors to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) recently published “Renewables 2023” analysis of global growth trends in renewable energy markets.
The report, the latest in an annual series of publications featuring IEA growth projections for various clean energy sectors, includes a so-called special section on biogas and biomethane, marking a first for the series. IEA forecast U.S. biogas and RNG volumes to grow 2.1-fold over the next five years, with the new RFS Set Rule, LCFS incentives and projects currently under development cited as catalysts.
In the United States, biomethane development has historically been driven by the transport sector and support schemes such as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and California’s Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS) applicable to fuels sold in California. The US has further accelerated its production growth for biomethane in the last years, prompted by new federal and state-level policy support. The new RFS Set Rule aims to double biomethane supplies in the next three years. Given the obligation volumes proposed, the pipeline of projects under development and California’s targets for injected biomethane, biogas and RNG supplies combined are expected to expand 2.1-fold in the next five years. Generous financial support from various programmes that permit additionality provide a very favourable framework for the accelerated growth.
Fellow contributors to the report included Archer Daniels Midland, BP, the European Commission, the Global Wind Energy Council, Iberdrola, the International Air Transport Association, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Neste, and Orsted, among others.