Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)
Methane captured from organic waste sources (landfills, dairy farms, wastewater treatment) and cleaned to pipeline quality. Chemically equivalent to fossil natural gas, usable in any gas appliance or pipeline.
Why It Matters
RNG captures methane that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere, turning a waste product into useful fuel. It's particularly valuable when captured from dairy operations and landfills where the alternative is methane emissions.
Related Topics
Related Terms
Methane
The primary component of natural gas (CH4). Methane is a potent greenhouse gas — about 80x more warming than CO2 over a 20-year period. Methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure is a significant climate concern.
Biogas
A gas mixture (primarily methane and CO2) produced by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. Sources include landfills, wastewater treatment plants, livestock manure, and food waste digesters.