Republic Services deepens commitment to RNG

Republic Services Inc., Phoenix, has announced an agreement that represents the widest geographic usage of Clean Energy (NASDAQ: CLNE) Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG) in North America, it said in a press release Feb. 11. RNG is an ultra-low-carbon intensity transportation fuel that substantially lowers greenhouse gas emissions.

A growing number of Republic Services’ natural gas-powered vehicles will utilize increasing amounts of Redeem fuel across 21 states over the next five years. This is projected to reduce fleet emissions by roughly 250,000 metric tons of CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per year, which is equal to taking 53,000 passenger vehicles off the road, Republic Services says.

“As the operator of the seventh largest vocational fleet in the country, we are continually looking for sustainable business solutions and committed to the reduction of fleet emissions,” says Pete Keller, the vice president of recycling and sustainability at Republic Services. “We continue to expand our fleet of clean-powered collection vehicles, and RNG is a seamless complement with additional environmental benefits.”

RNG is derived from biogenic methane, or biogas, which is methane generated by the decomposition of organic waste from dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment facilities. Once the gas is processed and purified, it is sent into the natural gas pipeline and made commercially available to Clean Energy customers as Redeem.

Republic Services is not only a natural gas customer of Clean Energy, based in Newport Beach, California, but also supplies some of the gas from its landfills to create Redeem.

“We commend Republic Services for its long-term use of natural gas to support sustainability objectives and furthering the growth of RNG as a vehicle fuel with the expanded use of Redeem,” says Chad Lindholm, the vice president of Clean Energy. “Together we will work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to make a positive environmental impact on communities across America.”

As part of Republic Services’ ongoing Blue Planet sustainability initiative, the company says it continues to build durable practices and programs across its sustainability platform. These initiatives further improve its environmental and social impacts through decreased vehicle emissions, innovative landfill technologies and the use of renewable energy. Nationwide, Republic Services operates a fleet of more than 3,000 natural gas vehicles and 43 natural gas fueling stations.