New RNG Production Facilities Underway Across Four States to Support Transportation Decarbonization

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has broken ground on three renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities in partnership with Maas Energy Works. The projects span six dairy farms across South Dakota, Georgia, Florida, and New Mexico, and are expected to produce roughly three million gallons of RNG annually when fully operational.

The facilities will capture methane emissions from a combined herd of 24,300 dairy cows, preventing these greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. The RNG produced is intended for use in heavy-duty trucking, transit, and vocational fleets, contributing to lower-carbon transportation fuels nationwide.

The projects employ Maas Energy Works’ covered lagoon system, which captures methane from manure stored in large, tarp-covered lagoon digesters. This approach is an alternative to traditional anaerobic digesters, offering cost and operational efficiencies for RNG production.

The three facilities are forecasted to cost $80 million and are scheduled for completion in 2026. Clean Energy retains the rights to develop additional projects at a later date as market conditions and project economics evolve.

Agriculture contributes nearly 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, while the transportation sector accounts for another 28%, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Capturing methane from farm waste and converting it into RNG can significantly reduce emissions compared with conventional diesel, with the fuel potentially achieving a negative carbon-intensity score.