The Gas Company (TGC), a provider of clean gas energy across Hawaii, is currently manufacturing renewable natural gas (RNG) for the business, government and residential customers in Hawaii.
The company converts non-food-grade fats and oils to generate clean, reliable biofuels and renewable gas, using the existing plant’s heat and steam at its RNG pilot facility in West Oahu. This facility is designed in such a way that can process over 1 million gallons of feedstock annually and accommodate a high demand in the feedstock supply.
The Primoris Renewables, an innovator in renewable energy solutions, is an associative partner located on the premises of synthetic natural gas (SNG) facility of TGC in the Campbell Industrial Park at Oahu. The company receives a contribution of about $1 million from the Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture, which receives funds from the US Department of Energy, to operate the RNG facility. The company purchases locally manufactured non-food-grade fats and oils from the other industries in Hawaii for producing the RNG.
Neil Abercrombie, Governor of Hawaii, having participated in the RNG facility’s dedication conducted today, stated that due to the robust partnerships and renewable energy sources, the clean energy industry in Hawaii is becoming an experimental solution for clean technologies. He added that an aggressive nation-wise clean energy rule is regulated by the state government and the RNG facility of TGC serves as a good example showing the local investment of Hawaii instead of investing its dollars outside.
Since Hawaii relies on imported petroleum for 90% of its energy, the state government of Hawaii launched the clean energy initiative in 2008 expecting to produce 70% of the total energy by 2030. TGC is functioning to generate half of its gas from the sustainable and renewable sources. The RNG pilot facility’s output will be used in the pre-existing TGC’s distribution and production operations across the 1,100 mi pipeline network at Oahu.