Drew Wilson
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 896 into law. This bill acknowledges renewable natural gas as an important tool in Florida’s clean energy future by incentivizing its use.
With this new measure, the Sunshine State can expect a renewable natural gas future, and TECO’s Peoples Gas is already in the lead.
In an uncommon partnership between two seemingly unrelated industries, Peoples Gas, Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility and Alliance Dairies, a large free-stall dairy farm near Gainesville, will bring renewable natural gas to Florida.
The natural gas utility and the dairy farm have reached an agreement that allows Peoples Gas to build, own and operate a renewable natural gas facility on Alliance Dairies’ land.
This new renewable natural gas facility will capture the waste from Alliance Dairies’ 6,500 cows and transform the waste into pipeline-quality natural gas, resulting in clean and safe natural gas that can be used by any natural gas appliance or application.
The manure that dairy livestock produces is typically sent to an uncovered lagoon where it loses its energy and nutrient value to the air. As the waste decomposes, biogas made up of mostly methane is produced. The methane that would otherwise be discharged into the atmosphere is captured and cleaned by the renewable natural gas facility and can then be injected into Florida’s pipeline systems.
The facility is expected to produce enough renewable natural gas to serve about 4,400 of Florida’s homes annually.
Just like traditional natural gas, renewable natural gas typically offers customers net-zero or negative emission levels.
With this new process and technology, Alliance Dairies will significantly reduce their impact on the environment while Peoples Gas continues to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to Floridians.
Both companies pride themselves on their sustainability efforts while carrying out business, whether it’s supplying Floridians with milk to fuel their bodies or natural gas to fuel their homes.
