RNG Coalition celebrates 300 operational RNG facilities in North America

The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition) is today proud to announce a landmark sustainability achievement in the field of renewable energy: North America now has 300 operational Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) facilities, up from just over 30 facilities in 2011 when RNG Coalition was founded. This extraordinary growth reflects the RNG industry’s steadfast commitment to mitigating climate change, fostering energy security, and ensuring a cleaner, greener future for present and future generations.

“The monumental increase in RNG facilities developed over the last decade-plus is reason to celebrate; unequivocally, RNG facilities are an imperative to mitigating methane and carbon in our advancement toward a more sustainable society and circular economy,” RNG Coalition founder and CEO Johannes Escudero said. “We are proud of this achievement, but it is merely the foundation that RNG Coalition member organizations will continue to build on to harness the full power of RNG in pursuit of a cleaner planet.”

RNG is a sustainable, clean fuel derived from organic waste found at landfills, wastewater treatment plants, dairy farms and other waste streams. RNG facilities capture and refine biogenic methane emissions produced by this waste, turning it into a valuable energy resource.

RNG plays a pivotal role in reducing global methane emissions – a greenhouse gas estimated by leading scientists to have 80 times the climate-warming impact of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. By investing in methane capture and RNG distribution, North America is curbing greenhouse gas emissions, advancing circular economies and enhancing the overall environmental sustainability of the region.

While the landmark of 300 operational RNG facilities is the result of decades of development, there still remains substantial unrealized potential behind RNG in North America and beyond. RNG Coalition data released today indicates that 178 more RNG facilities are currently under construction across the U.S. and Canada, with another 303 facilities in planning stages. This means that we are on track to reach 750+ RNG facilities in North America in the coming years, indicating tremendous runway for increased methane capture and utilization.

“Even with this great milestone reached, it is critical that policymakers continue to create conditions that allow RNG to compete as a flexible decarbonization tool,” RNG Coalition founder and CFO David Cox said today. “The enormous environmental, economic and energy benefits of RNG cannot be underestimated as we work to limit and leverage methane emissions from society’s inevitable waste streams.”

Long term, RNG Coalition will continue to lead through its SMART initiative to capture and control methane from more than 43,000 organic waste sites across North America by 2050, achieving meaningful benchmarks by 2025, 2030 and 2040.

On this significant occasion, it is also worth noting that RNG has evolved into a truly global movement. In the wake of energy supply disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine, the European Union last year set a goal to multiply RNG output in the continent twelvefold by 2030, to 35 billion cubic meters per day. This planned increase in methane capture and utilization reflects growing recognition of RNG’s present and future impact, with the International Energy Agency among those acknowledging RNG as a valued decarbonization tool for numerous industries across the world.

Here in North America, RNG Coalition remains committed to advancing RNG technologies, advocating for favorable policies, and working hand in hand with stakeholders to continue the expansion of RNG facilities across the continent. We recognize that this accomplishment is not the end goal, but an encouraging steppingstone toward a more sustainable and resilient future.