Biomethane Trucks
Replacing Diesel with Clean-Burning Biomethane Made from Farm Waste
Air quality in California’s San Joaquin Valley is growing worse, and diesel trucks are a significant contributor to the problem. Diesel-burning trucks roll up and down the Valley carrying fruits, nuts, milk and other foods from farms to processing facilities and ultimately to communities all over the world.
Our Role
Sustainable Conservation is a leading advocate for converting dairy manure and other farm waste into biomethane, a high-quality renewable fuel that is chemically the same as natural gas but is generated from renewable sources. Biomethane burns far cleaner than diesel, gasoline or natural gas, and it can be used in any engine that runs on natural gas, such as trucks, cars and buses. It is widely used in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe. By replacing diesel-burning engines and powering trucks with clean-burning biomethane, Sustainable Conservation is helping clean up some of the dirtiest air in the nation.
Methane – a potent greenhouse gas – is naturally released from dairy manure as it decomposes. To make biomethane, dairy farmers gather their herd’s manure in a covered lagoon, which traps the methane gas. Then the gas is purified to form biomethane.
In 2009, Sustainable Conservation celebrated the launch of two heavy-duty trucks powered by biomethane – the first to travel the nation’s roadways. Biomethane-powered tanker trucks carry milk every day from Hilarides Dairy in Lindsay, California to a cheese plant 150 miles away. This first-of-its kind operation came from a public-private partnership which aims to develop a new model for replacing diesel fuel with renewable biomethane produced from farm waste.
This approach reduces local air pollution (from diesel emissions), reduces global warming emissions (methane from manure), reduces dependence on fossil fuels and gives farmers a local, self-generated fuel source. Biomethane has a much higher net energy yield than corn-based ethanol and is made from local manure – not food crops – so it avoids the food/fuel trade-off.
Biomethane-fueled vehicles can be a viable part of California’s renewable energy solution, helping to clean up the air and reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels. The manure is plentiful and the technology is straightforward. However, the regulatory and financial obstacles are significant.
Sustainable Conservation works with dairy farmers, technology companies and regulatory agencies to find solutions that make both environmental and economic sense. Our goal is to expand the use of methane digesters on dairy farms to produce biomethane where it makes economic sense to displace diesel-burning trucks so more Californians can breathe clean air.