BP [BP:US] has inaugurated a pioneering renewable natural gas (RNG) manufacturing plant in Medora, Indiana, as reported by Reuters on October 4. This innovative facility has the capacity to process 3,200 cubic feet of landfill gas per minute, enough to heat around 13,026 homes annually. This transformative process not only prevents the release of potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere but also convertsthem into a valuable energy source. BP emphasized that the plant’s modular technology allows for swift replication and deployment, significantly faster than previous methods. The company plans to bring five more modular facilities into production this year, with ambitions to commission as many as 20 plants annually across the United States.

BP’s entry into the RNG sector was facilitated by its acquisition of Archaea Energy, the largest biogas producer in the US, in a deal valued at USD4.1bn in December 2022. The deal provided BP the modular technology it needs to rapidly deploy facilities across the US. This acquisition equipped BP with the modular technology required for the rapid deployment of facilities across the country. These prefabricated facilities, primarily constructed in Pennsylvania, can now be installed in just nine months, a significant reduction from the 18 to 24 months typically required for on-site construction. BP’s swift expansion in the US biogas sector is propelled by various incentive measures, including the alternative fuel tax credit of USD0.5 per gallon and the expanded investment tax credit introduced in last year’s climate legislation. Additionally, Shell [SHEL:US] made a significant move in this direction, announcing a USD2bn acquisition of Danish biogas producer Nature Energy Biogas A/S in November. This strategic move positions Shell as the largest producer of RNG in Europe.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/bp-launches-first-us-biogas-plant-since-archaea-acquisition-2023-10-04/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-04/indiana-bp-plant-to-produce-renewable-natural-gas-from-landfill?srnd=green&leadSource=uverify%20wall#xj4y7vzkg

https://www.offshore-technology.com/news/bp-archaea-renewable-natural-gas/?cf-view&cf-closed

https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/news-and-insights/press-releases/bp-completes-acquisition-of-archaea-energy.html

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-28/shell-buys-nature-energy-in-2-billion-push-into-biogas?leadSource=uverify%20wall#xj4y7vzkg