US Leadership on Methane Abatement:
What Congress Needs to Know About Major Methane Emissions Sources Beyond Oil and Gas, and How to Leverage Them for Clean Energy/Climate Benefits and to Meet Our 2030 Goals
Friday, September 20, 2024
This briefing, organized by Energy Vision and cosponsored by Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA 21), brought together leading experts on cutting methane emissions from agriculture, food waste, and landfills, which are all major emitters. As Energy Vision’s recent report Meeting the Methane Challenge shows, cutting methane from these major emitters, in addition to methane from the oil and gas industry, will be crucial to meeting US climate and clean energy goals.
In her opening remarks, Energy Vision Founder Joanna Underwood noted that after three decades of international climate change summits, we finally have a greater awareness of methane’s impact on the climate, a clear goal to cut methane emissions30% by 2030, and a practical strategy for doing so.
Congressman Jim Costa stressed the importance of more environmentally friendly dairy farming, including anaerobic digesters (ADs) to process manure, avoid methane emissions, and boost farmers’ income.
Dr. Ilissa Ocko, Senior Advisor to the US SpecialPresidential Envoy for Climate, reiterated that cutting methane soon is the strongest lever we have to slow global warming in the coming decades and that pulling it is now both feasible and urgent.
Matt Tomich, Energy Vision’s President, explained how combining the EPA’s latest regulations on methane from oil and gas infrastructure with building new ADs to process food waste and manure would be an achievable, cost-effective approach to meeting and exceeding the goal of cutting US methane emissions 30% by 2030. The private sector is prepared to put up the vast majority of the roughly $74 billion such an AD buildout would require. Clarity and consistency on policy from the federal government would help get these investments flowing.
Suzanne Hunt, Generate UpCycle’s Vice President for Policy offered an industry perspective. She pointed out how much time and resources it takes to plan, fund and implement digester projects, and how policy clarity from the federal government is a prerequisite for AD ramp up.
Kevin Abernathy, General Manager of the Milk Producers Council, recounted the enormous success the California dairy industry has had with using digesters to cut methane and produce RNG. It has been by far the most cost-effective part of California’s entire methane reduction plan, and he urged the State to stay the course.
Briefers described the rapidly evolving field of waste-related methane abatement and addressed what Congress can do to help accelerate it and meet US clean energy and climate goals.
