BioCNG—Vehicle Fuel for a Green Future

by Lalbabu Prasad SEO Executive

Cornerstone, A Sky Lit Bio Fuel Pvt. Ltd Company invented Bio CNG, a patent-pending biogas conditioning device that converts methane from organic waste (or "biogas") into a renewable natural gasoline (RNG) that can be used in compressed natural gas vehicles (CNG).

Cornerstone created the system to address the increasing demand for lower-cost alternative fuels. Bio CNG, which costs less than $2 per gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE), is the most affordable alternative to gasoline and natural gas. This system allows owners to reduce their fuel costs over a period of 10-20 years. It also helps achieve aggressive national goals that call for less dependence on foreign oil and increases the availability and utilization of domestic resources. It is a renewable fuel option that is not dependent on fluctuating market prices or foreign producers.

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Bio CNG is modularized, making it one of the most cost-effective systems on the market for small-scale projects. Few competitors are available for large-scale applications. Bio CNG uses between 20 and 400 standard cubic feet per hour (scfm), of biogas to produce 100-2400 GGE of Bio CNG each day. To increase gas production, the modular Bio CNG system is easily expandable by placing several Bio CNG units near each other. This arrangement allows for increased system capacity and redundancy, so maintenance can be done.

Cornerstone's Steve Wittmann is the project manager for many of the Bio CNG projects. He stated that "The Bio CNG system was created using proven industrial gas conditioning technology to economically address small scale biogas producing plants." "The technology demonstrated quickly that even a 50-scfm source of biogas can produce 250 gallons per day. This results in significant environmental and financial benefits, as well as higher revenues than traditional biogas to fuel projects.

Bio CNG was awarded the prestigious Landfill Methane Outreach Program Award (LMOP), by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), twice in 2011 and 2012.

Cornerstone performed a thorough gas composition analysis to prove that the Bio CNG fuel is suitable for use in CNG engines. The system produced a fuel that met or exceeded both the SAE J1616 Recommended practice for compressed natural gas vehicle fuel and the heavy-duty fuel engine specifications of Cummins Westport. The volatile organic compounds in Bio CNG fuel were also compared with those found in pipeline natural gas. Data showed that main gas constituents in the fuel were similar to natural gas. Bio CNG is typically lower in heavy hydrocarbons, such as ethane. After conditioning and cleaning, Bio CNG fuel can either be used in CNG vehicles directly or mixed with natural gasoline.

The system is extremely reliable and has very few downtimes or maintenance issues. The cost of operating and maintaining a bio CNG system is approximately 16-25 percent less than conventional gasoline. Actual system prices will vary depending on the site conditions and how many vehicles are being fueled by the system.

In Dane County, Wisconsin, the Rodefeld Landfill installed the first Bio-CNG system in December 2010. It is converting landfill methane into CNG fuel for county-owned cars at a fraction the price of gasoline and has been in operation since March 2011.

The BioCNG system converts biogas into CNG in seven locations across the United States. It costs less than gasoline. Two of these locations have recently added a BioCNG system to increase their CNG production. Some of these projects received tax credits or rebates from state programs for alternative fuel production, and renewable fuel credits through UEPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality.

BioCNG in action

The BioCNG system works well in California, Louisiana, Colorado. Cornerstone's Wittman says that clients are not buying a BioCNG-based biogas conditioning system. They are purchasing an integrated BioCNG vehicle fueling solution. These projects are exciting because we get to know the client and create a fueling system that meets their needs.

California's first carbon-negative commercially-available fuel, farm to fork

Cornerstone designed the BioCNG system to CleanWorld's Sacramento BioDigester located at the Sacramento South Area Transfer Station, Sacramento, California. At the Renewable Energy World Power Engineering Awards gala in Orlando Florida, the project won the International Bioenergy Project of the Year 2013. The facility is a public/private partnership between CleanWorld and the County of Sacramento. CleanWorld owns and operates the BioDigester facility. Atlas Disposal Industries, a local hauler, constructed and manages an adjacent CNG fueling station, which fuels local vehicles with the digester's renewable fuel.

BioCNG uses approximately 100 scfm gas from the food waste digestioner. This produces up to 600 GGE per daily in fuel. Cornerstone provided materials and started-up of a biogas conditioning system for use with existing CNG fueling stations. Other work included site equipment layout, piping design, integration of CleanWorld's digester equipment and integration with CNG fueling stations.

Cornerstone was responsible for the initial site layout, piping and condensate management. Waste gas flaring and controls were also included. The facility expansion is now complete. The BioCNG 200 can produce an additional 1,200 gallons per day.

CleanWorld CEO Michele Wong noted that "The scalability and modularity of BioCNG's skid mounted units matches well with CleanWorld’s modular approach. This allowed the gas refining tech to be scaled up efficiently alongside the digester as the system's capacity was increased from 25 to 100 tons per days to 100 tons per daily."

Mike Michels, Tetra Tech’s solid waste initiative lead, said that "we were excited to work on the project and thrilled to see the City of Sacramento have the vision required to make it a reality." The city refers the project as a "farm to fork fuel" project. This is a great way to show that society has a growing awareness of the preciousness of our resources and touches all areas of society. This is the first carbon-negative fuel that California has ever produced commercially.

Louisiana's first-ever BioCNG vehicle fuel system

Cornerstone assisted in the installation of a turnkey BioCNG vehicle fueling system at the St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Disposal District landfill, Louisiana.

Cornerstone provided engineering, permit fabrication, materials, installation and start-up services for a BioCNG 50 and BioCNG 100 gas conditioning units. BioCNG provided the gas cleanup skids, CNG fast fueling station, and CNG storage tanks, and constructed the facilities.Cornerstone provided engineering, permitting fabrication, materials, installation, and start-up for a BioCNG 50 gas conditioning unit and a BioCNG 100 expansion unit. BioCNG constructed the facilities, including the gas cleanup skids and the CNG fast-fueling station.

Original system produced 210 DGE (diesel gallon equivalents) per day of BioCNG fuel vehicle fuel at a fraction of the price of diesel. Fuel is made from 50 scfm biogas and contains 52-56% methane. Initial use of the fuel was to power 15 vehicles belonging to the sheriff's office and district support vehicles.

The project was extended to include a second BioCNG system as well as a remote CNG station. This station is supported by a CNG tube truck that transports the BioCNG from landfill to remote stations. BioCNG installed and commissioned the "mother-daughter” BioCNG station, which was the first in its type in the country. The new unit tripled fuel production to 630 DGE/day.

This expansion is part of a contract between St. Landry Solid Waste Disposal District (St. Landry Solid Waste Disposal District) and Progressive Waste Solutions. Progressive Waste Solutions agreed to continue its existing waste hauling contract and purchase new CNG-powered trucks. They also purchased fuel from the more bioCNG generated by the expanded system. Additional St. Landry Parish clients will also benefit from the BioCNG fuel provided by the completed project.

Katry Martin, the district executive director, was particularly happy about the expansion. She stated, "The fact the hauler that delivers trash to the parish landfill will fuel his trucks with biogas from the landfill is an example of the power and potential of renewable energy sources. It's a glimpse into the future of biogas."

Colorado uses biowaste for fueling city vehicles

Cornerstone installed a BioCNG system at Persigo Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is owned jointly by the City of Grand Junction (CO) and Mesa County (CO). Cornerstone was responsible for design, permitting, construction management and system commissioning. Additionally, Cornerstone designed and installed an option to use BioCNG in the WWTP digester boiler. This will allow for lower operating costs.

The BioCNG system can produce 500 GGE per hour from the WWTP digester gasoline. It is piped approximately 6 miles to Grand Junction’s existing fast-fill CNG fueling station. Grand Valley Transit's buses will be powered by the BioCNG. They will also be fueled at Grand Junction's facility. GVT and the City of Grand Junction continue to buy additional CNG vehicles to expand their overall CNG fleet.

"We are very proud of this project, as it has allowed us to use the biowaste from the wastewater plant to make fuel for our fleet," stated Tim Moore, Grand Junction's interim manager. It has put us on the map for alternative fuel use and we are seeing a direct benefit in the energy and cost savings.

Michels summarized the discussion by saying, "All of Cornerstone are excited about BioCNG. It is very encouraging to be able contribute to sustainability by the generation of renewable fuels. BioCNG's modularity and flexibility make it ideal for many vehicle fuel applications.

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