Business Objective

ALG was contracted to perform verification services for six (6) carbon intensity (CI) pathway applications for the largest operator of dairy biogas to renewable natural gas in California. These CI pathways were associated with dairy manure digester biogas capture, upgrade and injection into compressed natural gas for use in California’s transportation sector. These applications were used as credit generating opportunities under the California Air Resources Board as a Low Carbon Fuel Standard program. As this is a revenue generating project for the facility, the client requested expedited turnaround of the verification such that LCFS credits could be generated that same quarter.

Technical Approach

ALG’s verification team developed an intuitive work flow plan to ensure that all the data needed was transparent to the facility and that all data provided was reviewed and evaluated in a systematic approach. This methodology ensured that all regulatory verification requirements were addressed thoroughly and within the compressed verification time line. The Project Manager actively participated to ensure that all work product conformed with LCFS verification regulatory requirements.

Site visits to the dairy digesters and biogas upgrading facility are performed as part of the verification process to confirm the correct representation of all process operations and metering systems. The verification process identified areas in the initial project submission that required revision. ALG streamlined the revision process through clear and consistent communication with the client and CARB in order to minimize any time delays that would impact the compressed schedule.

Results

ALG successfully assisted the client in providing verification services within the requested schedule of five weeks. The technical aspects of the verification were approved by CARB, were clear, and were defensible through the public scrutiny and comment process. ALG’s successful execution of this project has resulted in the client selecting ALG again for four additional pathway applications.