I keep seeing lots of waste removal trucks sporting text stating this in our city. As far as I can tell (from googling) natural gas isn’t a renewable resource. So what gives?
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Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that can be naturally replenished, like the sun, wind, and water. However, natural gas is a fossil fuel, which means it comes from sources that are not renewable, like oil and coal.
So when someone talks about “100% renewable clean natural gas,” they are actually talking about something called “biogas.” Biogas is created from organic matter like food waste, agricultural waste, and sewage. This organic matter is broken down by bacteria in a process called “anaerobic digestion,” which produces a gas that is similar to natural gas. This gas is then captured and can be used as a fuel source for things like heating and electricity.
While biogas is not technically a renewable resource, because it still comes from organic matter that is finite, it is considered a “clean” alternative to traditional natural gas, because it is created from waste that would otherwise contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the process of creating biogas produces less greenhouse gas emissions than the process of creating traditional natural gas.
So when waste removal trucks advertise “100% renewable clean natural gas,” they are actually referring to biogas, which is a cleaner alternative to traditional natural gas, but not technically a renewable resource.
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