Renewable Thermal Energy: The New Emission Reduction Strategy

According to the Renewable Thermal Collaborative, energy used for heating and cooling accounts for around 50% of total global energy demand and 39% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Many organizations have already solved for renewable electricity but not that of thermal energy. As the market moves toward higher prioritization of sustainability, more organizations are considering thermal energy as an emission-savings opportunity.

What renewable thermal energy choices exist?

The most common form of renewable thermal energy is solar power harvested from solar collectors which can be used to heat buildings, water and various processes. Geothermal energy is also an option which is the process of generating energy by using heat from deep inside the Earth to generate steam to create electricity. However, the newest, and possibly most convenient is renewable natural gas.

More about the latest, renewable natural gas

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is created by capturing methane from the decomposition of organic materials at farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants, which is then cleaned and injected into existing natural gas pipelines where it can be used just like conventional natural gas. RNG is a quick and easy drop-in solution that doesn’t require any adjustments to infrastructure. 

Why consider renewable natural gas as a thermal energy source?

• Scope 1 emission reductions: RNG eliminates emissions in your scope 1 category. The impact of RNG on emission reduction goals is substantial, due to the tremendous amount of methane avoidance that happens during the production process. Further, RNG in use is significantly cleaner than that of traditional natural gas.
• Available, drop-in solution: New development projects continue to surface which is increasing the overall RNG supply making it easier for more organizations to find enough volume to support their needs. Switching to renewable thermal energy is easy, especially for those using natural gas as a heat source today. No infrastructure changes, no new equipment and no ongoing maintenance costs. Implementing RNG within your facility is merely paperwork, the easy kind, without any large upfront investments.
• Flexible: The great thing about renewable natural gas as a thermal energy solution is that it can be customized to fit your needs. You control how much volume is used and when you use it. RNG providers will allocate enough supply to satisfy your needs and ensure it’s available when you need it – regardless of weather conditions.

Consider tracking mechanisms.

If you’re going to make the switch the renewable natural gas as your source of energy, you may want to be able to confirm that the gas you’re receiving is from a clean, reliable source. The M-Rets platform is the perfect place to track just that. The goal of the platform is to validate the environmental attributes of energy and serve as a trusted centralized gateway to markets. M-Rets is the leading renewable energy tracking and trading system in North America and aims at satisfying the needs of both voluntary and mandatory parties. It’s very important to make sure the energy you’re being supplied is actually clean, and this platform lets you do that.

Begin your renewable thermal energy journey.

Switching to renewable thermal energy doesn’t always mean you will be stuck in it for the long term, especially with renewable natural gas. We’ll work with you to determine how much supply you’ll need, when to start and how to track progress. We can supply your entire operations or start small and pilot the technology.

Reach out to learn more about how renewable natural gas can begin reducing your thermal energy emissions.