Summary
The American Biogas Council (ABC) recently launched a new tool to standardize carbon intensity (CI) assessments for biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects. The Carbon Accounting Tool for Biogas (Biogas CAT), developed with industry-wide input, provides a transparent, science-based framework for quantifying and comparing CI scores across various project pathways. The tool helps developers, voluntary market buyers, and policymakers integrate biogas and RNG into their energy transition plans and emission-reduction strategies.
“Our goal is to empower developers and buyers with a tool that brings consistency, transparency, and confidence to emissions reporting, ultimately accelerating the adoption of biogas as a meaningful climate solution.”
– Patrick Serfass, Executive Director of ABC
Background
The biogas and RNG markets face difficulties in communicating their environmental benefits to voluntary buyers. Unlike regulated transportation fuel markets that use prescriptive models like the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (CA-LCFS), voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) lack a standardized framework for assessing biogas CI. This makes it hard for buyers, ranging from universities to pharmaceutical companies with different criteria, to fairly compare projects. Existing tools, such as Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technology (GREET) model, also fall short in fully capturing the environmental attributes of biogas. Additionally, smaller developers, including farms and municipal facilities, face additional barriers in quantifying their CI due to cost constraints.
Solution
To address the lack of standardized carbon accounting in the biogas sector, the ABC teamed with EcoEngineers, an LRQA company, to develop a free, publicly available tool using a multi-phase approach. Over two years, they hosted workshops with developers, buyers, and policymakers to design a scientifically rigorous yet user-friendly methodology that would guide the development of the Biogas CAT tool. Industry consultations ensured that the tool reflected the unique needs of diverse project types, such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants. The result was a simplified Excel-based calculator that applies life-cycle analysis (LCA) principles to estimate CI.
“The Biogas CAT is about delivering clarity and consistency to a growing but fragmented market. The Biogas CAT is a foundational step toward unlocking the full environmental and economic potential of biogas.”
– Brad Pleima, President, EcoEngineers
The Biogas CAT provides developers and voluntary buyers with a consistent, transparent method for assessing emissions reductions. The tool standardizes CI measurement, enabling simple project comparisons. Its easy-to-use, accessible format lowers barriers for smaller biogas developers, such as farms and municipal facilities, to quantify and better communicate their environmental impact. By providing reliable CI data, the Biogas CAT facilitates informed purchasing decisions and promotes participation in the biogas and RNG markets. Additionally, its alignment with existing carbon credit frameworks, like the CA-LCFS, enhances credibility and facilitates policy integration. The Biogas CAT is available on the ABC’s website.
