The Gas Company dedicated a new plant in Kapolei that can make "renewable natural gas" out of oils and fats from animal, fishing and farming waste.
"We're burying beef tallow on the Big Island, we're shipping other unsuitable oils and fats back to the mainland and asia for reprocessing, we're going to be able to take that here," said Jeffrey Kissel, The Gas Company president.
Here at The Gas Company's" synthetic natural gas manufacturing plant in Campbell Industrial Park. Already making SNG from petroleum component naphtha, the new facility to do the same from fats and oils is the first in the U.S.
"This plant today and the Gas Company's innovation leading the way on it is something that is absolutely the best news for alternative energy in the state," said Governor Neil Abercrombie.
The renewable gas produced will displace much of the petroleum derived SNG the gas company currently distributes through its 1,100 mile Oahu pipeline network to nearly 30,000 commercial and residential customers. The volume is expected to be significant.
"We think that it will be enough to basically power about half the island of Kauai to give you an example," said Kissel.
Processes pioneered here are being scoped out elsewhere.
"They're looking at it in a lot of places in the world, especially in Europe, where their resources are so tight, their population centers are so tight, and they have got a big problem with disposing of these waste products," said Kissel.
Besides being a waste and energy solution, the plant creates new potential revenue for farmers who currently discard or ship away farm and food waste.
"Our goal is to get about half of our natural gas from renewable and sustainable sources over the next few years, and once we start doing that we'll see how much more agricultural production we can engender in the economy," said Kissel.
"It allows me then to push to try to get our poultry, our dairy, our beef cattle industries back on track," said Gov. Abercrombie.
