Thomas Holst

Senior Energy Analyst Renewable Natural Gas:

A Sustainable Approach to
the Energy Transition
Renewable natural gas offers a new and promising
energy source that will help decarbonize a portion of
Utah’s energy mix.

January 2022

411 East South Temple Street

Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
I
801-585-5618 gardner.utah.edu
 6.4%
4.5%
Electric Power Transportation Industrial Residential Commercial

500

Million Gallons Gasoline Equivalent

400

300

Renewable Natural Gas: A Sustainable 200

Approach to the Energy Transition 100

0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Analysis in Brief
Renewable natural gas (RNG) offers a new and promising Renewable Natural Gas's Carbon Intensity Is Five Times
energy source that will help decarbonize a portion of Utah’s Lower Than Conventional Natural Gas
energy mix. RNG feedstocks include waste streams from
Diesel
livestock, landfills, and food. By recycling these waste streams
Conventional Natural Gas
Utah will avoid the release of methane, which has a climate
warming potential 25–34 times greater than carbon dioxide. RNG - Landfill

Analysts estimate that Utah RNG volumes could supply 4% of RNG - Wastewater Sludge
Utah’s fossil natural gas demand. In addition, fuel switching in RNG - Food and Green Waste
2025 at the Intermountain Power Plant will increase green RNG - Animal Manure
hydrogen availability. -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 200
Carbon Intensity (g CO2 e/MJ) – Current LCFS Pathways
Key Findings Range Average

• RNG is a low-carbon energy source—Generation of RNG Source: World Resources Institute, Renewable Natural Gas as a Climate Strategy;
Guidance for State Policymakers
avoids emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas with
warming potential 25–34 times greater than carbon
dioxide. Avoidance of methane emissions gives RNG a the Utah population. However, another RNG pathway occurs
negative carbon intensity metric (grams CO2 equivalent per when carbon dioxide reacts with green hydrogen created by
megajoule of energy). RNG pathways involving livestock renewable energy. Increased Utah production of green
waste, food waste, wastewater sludge, and landfill all have hydrogen for the Intermountain Power Plant in 2025 and
carbon intensities lower than fossil fuels. 2045 will likely boost RNG supplies above current levels.
• Utah has RNG resources—Utah’s current RNG sources are • There are several local RNG producers—Owners of five
food waste, landfill gas, wastewater treatment plants, and anaerobic digesters processing livestock waste and one
livestock farms. Potential RNG production from these sources anaerobic digester processing food waste fulfill a vital role in
would supply about 4% of Utah’s natural gas demand. the RNG production chain. In addition, Utah has 54 landfills
• There are multiple pathways to RNG—RNG feedstock and 20 wastewater facilities, only some of which are
sources are limited by organic waste streams generated by capturing biogas.

Anaerobic Digestion Process

Livestock Crop Waste Food Heat Electricity Fuel Gas Grid

Waste Waste Water Waste
Anaerobic Biogas Biomethane

Digester Digestate

Source: Environmental and Energy Study Institute Fertilizer Soil Amendments Livestock Bedding

I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 1 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022

 Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Terms Used in This Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Renewable Natural Gas Production Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
RNG’s Role in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions . . . . . . 8
Community Benefits of Renewable Natural Gas . . . . . . . . . 9
State Policies Supporting Renewable Natural Gas. . . . . . . 10
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Figures
Figure 1: Anaerobic Digestion Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 2: Carbon Intensity of RNG Feedstocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 3: Utah Natural Gas Consumption, 2017–2020. . . . . . 6
Figure 4: Power-to-Gas Creation of RNG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 5: Colors of Hydrogen Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 6: Biomass and Municipal Solid Waste Gasification . . 7
Figure 7: Commercial and Residential CO2
Emissions in Utah, 2018. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 8: Renewable Natural Gas as a Transportation
Fuel, 2014–2020. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 9: Recovery of Food Waste. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Tables
Table 1: Hydrogen Feedstocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Table 2: Utah Feedstocks for Renewable Natural Gas . . . . . . . 5
Table 3: Western States Electricity Feedstocks, 2019. . . . . . . . 8
Table 4: Utah Agricultural Anaerobic Digester Facilities. . . . 10
Table 5: Vermont RNG Adder Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu 2 I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM

 Climate change presents a global challenge posing risks to Interest in renewable natural gas (RNG) has mounted in the
the environment and the economy. Companies are United States and Canada. In California, SoCalGas committed
transitioning to low-carbon sources of energy, including 5% of its distribution to be RNG by 2022 and 20% by 2030. In
renewable energies such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Canada, the British Columbia government will increase the
Nuclear technologies, now de-risked for safety concerns, will percentage of its RNG distribution from the current 5% to
enter into Utah’s energy mix in this decade. 15% by 2030.
Natural gas serves as a transition fuel to lower-carbon energy This report considers impacts of adding RNG into Utah’s
supplies due to its smaller carbon footprint than either crude energy mix.
oil or coal.

Introduction
RNG is a waste-derived fuel used to power homes, businesses Crop Residues Quantities of corn stover, wheat
and vehicles. RNG and the natural gas supplied to heat homes straw, and forest product residues may co-
are both methane (CH4), but their production pathways differ. digest with the wet wastes listed above.
RNG pathways comprise municipal solid waste landfills and However, conversion of large amounts of
anaerobic digesters, both fed by waste products. Recycling woody biomass as a stand-alone feedstock requires thermal
carbon already on the earth’s surface avoids extraction of fossil gasification technologies not yet fully mature.
fuels buried deep underground.
Waste products are the starting point for the RNG pathway. Landfill Gas The Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act of 1976 sets criteria under which
Food Waste Approximately 40% of U.S. food landfills can accept municipal solid waste and
supply is thrown away.1 More food reaches nonhazardous industrial solid waste. Landfill
landfills and incinerators that any other single
gas captured from the anaerobic digestion of biogenic waste is
material in our everyday trash.2 Food waste
methane and trace amounts of nitrogen and oxygen.
constitutes 20% of landfills, where it decomposes in the Gray
presence
Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen G
of bacteria to methane and carbon dioxide. A more efficient food
CO2 CO2
waste destination is an anaerobic digester that processes organic Decomposing waste products emit methane and carbon Gre
Gray Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen Elect
matter into sustainable resources such as RNG and fertilizer. dioxide. RNG projects capture these gases from existing food and
Natural Natural
Wasatch Resource Recovery’s (WRR) anaerobic digester,Gas
located CO livestock
Hydrogen
2 waste,
Coal crop residues,Hydrogen
and
CO2 wastewater
Gas sludge, repurposingHydrogen Water

in North Salt Lake, processes deliveries of food waste into enough them as a green energy source. Recycling carbon
Underground already
CO2 on the
storage
Natural 3
RNG to heat Bountiful and produce bio-based fertilizer . earth’s surface avoids extraction of fossil fuels buried for millions of
Natural
Gas Hydrogen Coal Hydrogen Gas Hydrogen W
years. RNG is chemically identical to natural gas, but its production
Underground CO2
Gray Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen
method differs from Green Hydrogen
fossil fuel natural gas: storage
Livestock Waste Hogs produce between 3 to
CO CO
13 pounds
2
per day of manure 2
capable of Fossil natural gas forms within the earth’s organic-rich
Green
Electricity
rock
Methanation
O2
generating up to 5 cubic feet per day of biogas, formations under high-temperature and high-pressure
Natural
Gas Hydrogen
a feedstock for Coal
RNG. SmithfieldHydrogen
Natural
Farms in Gas
Beaver Hydrogen
conditions. 0Natural
Water 2 gasHcomes
2Hydrogento the earth’s surface from
Underground CO2 CO2 H2 CO2
County comprises 26 family farms equipped to generate RNG. storage depths of 8 to 12,000 feet through a well boreMethanation drilled by
Excess renewable Combined with a small amount Hydrogen and carbon
Swine manure pumped from animal barns fills high-density energy exploration and production companies.
polyethylene basins that retain and convert manure emissions
energy of water and goes through
which 2 0elctrolysis,
splits the molecule2 H combine through
methanation
RNG forms when waste products on the earth’s surface CO2 H2 CO2
into RNG capable of heating 3,000 homes. decompose via bacteria to form methane and carbon
Methanation
Excess renewable Combined with a small amount Hydrogen and carbon
Gray Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen Green Hydrogen
energy of water
dioxide and and goesamounts
small through elctrolysis,
of hydrogen combine through
sulfide.
Wastewater
CO2 Treatment02 H
Wastewater treatment
2 CO 2
CH
which splits4the molecule
Green
Gas
methanation
CO2 H2 CO2
RNG is carbon neutral (i.e., no net release
Electricity of carbon into the
plants separate sewage sludge from liquids O2
Natural
Excess renewable Combined with a small amount
atmosphere)
Hydrogen and carbon
Natural because it recycles
Methane can be
Recycling stored inMSW carbon
Preparation already in circulation on
Gasifier Gas
Gas duringHydrogen
energy the treatment
of water and goesprocess.
Coal Biogas fromcombine
through elctrolysis,
Gas
through
Hydrogen forWater
the pipeline (750º–3,000ºF) Cleaning
which splits the molecule Hydrogen methanation future use Hydrogen
sewage sludge could potentially meet 12% ofUnderground the earth’s CO2
surface. The waste products creating RNG would haveGas
national electricity demand.4 However, many wastewater emitted
storage methane into the earth’s atmosphere by natural decay
Inert Solids
Particulate
processes. Recycling carbon already on the Gasifier earth’s surface Gas
treatment plants lack facilities to convert biogas into electricity, Gas
Recycling MSW Preparation
reduces the need to extract and combust fossilized carbonCleaning
(750º–3,000ºF)
so they flare biogas instead.5 Metals Glass Plastics Construction Materials
Gasifier sources.Gas Estimated RNG Electricfeedstock sources in Utah are in Table 2.
Recycling MSW Preparation (750º–3,000ºF) Cleaning Generator Inert Solids
Methanation Particulate
I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM
02 H2
Inert Solids
3
Livestock Waste
Particulate CH gardner.utah.edu
4
I January 2022
CO2 Metals
H2 Glass
CO2 Plastics Construction Materials
Metals Glass Plastics Construction Materials Heat Electricity
 Terms Used in this Report
Anaerobic Digestion An anaerobic digester facilitates biological Table 1: Hydrogen Feedstocks
processes in which bacteria break down organic matter (e.g.,
Feedstock Process End Product
animal manure, wastewater bio solids, and food waste) in the
Water Electrolysis Green hydrogen
absence of oxygen. Combining multiple organic materials in
Natural gas Steam Reforming with Blue hydrogen
one digester is a practice called co-digestion. Anaerobic carbon sequestration
digester outputs are biogas and digestate. Digestate finds Natural gas Steam Reforming with no Gray hydrogen
application as either fertilizer or animal bedding. carbon sequestration

Biogas Upgrading Biogas created by anaerobic digesters is a Coal Gasification Brown hydrogen

combination of methane (50%–60%), carbon dioxide (40%– Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

50%), and trace amounts of other gases. Upgrading biogas

separates methane from the carbon dioxide and hydrogen Hydrogen A fuel having no carbon footprint, it is a
sulfide. The renewable natural gas could either be injected into transportation fuel for heavy-duty vehicles. Electricity
a gas distribution network or used as a vehicle fuel. generation plants now utilize hydrogen as a replacement fuel
for coal and natural gas. Feedstocks in Table 1 produce
Carbon Intensity The weight of carbon dioxide equivalent
hydrogen by chemical processes.
emitted per unit of energy released. Typical units for this
measurement are grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per Life Cycle Accounting (LCA) LCA evaluates net impacts of
megajoule of energy produced. emissions throughout a renewable natural gas pathway,
including avoided methane emissions at the feedstock
Carbon Neutral A state of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions.
source, emissions from energy consumption for biogas
RNG pathways for livestock, food and green waste avoid
upgrading, methane leakage, and end-use emissions.
release of methane into the atmosphere, creating carbon
Emission impacts are compared to a reference case in which
offsets.
renewable natural gas is not produced and the feedstocks are
Dekatherm A unit of energy equal to 1 million British Thermal managed according to existing practices.
Units (BTUs) that measures the heating value of a specific
Natural Gas Two sources for natural gas exist. First, fossil natural
volume of natural gas. A typical Utah residential customer
gas is methane (CH4) produced by drilling operations providing
consumes 80 dekatherms per year.
a conduit from the deep geologic formations to the earth’s
Electrolysis The electrolysis pathway for producing RNG surface. Second, renewable natural gas (RNG) is a fuel derived
involves electricity from renewable energies and carbon from waste streams. As organic waste decomposes, it releases
dioxide (CO2). The first step is producing green hydrogen by a biogas having 50%–60% methane. This biogas can be refined
using electricity generated from renewable energy sources to remove contaminants and increase heating value. RNG may
such as wind or solar to split water into hydrogen and substitute for fossil natural gas in pipelines, fueling stations,
oxygen. The second step is methanation of hydrogen to and storage tanks, or as a drop-in fuel requiring no engine
produce renewable natural gas (CH4) in the sequential modification in natural gas vehicles.
reactions listed below.
Organic Waste Ban A policy restricting food waste sent to
Green hydrogen production: landfills to avoid methane gas leaks to the atmosphere. Waste
2 H2O + electric current 2 H2 + O2 bans require restaurants or grocery stores to either donate
food waste or recycle it via composting or anaerobic digestion.
Renewable natural gas production:
Voluntary Green Pricing Utility customers voluntarily specify an
4 H2 + CO2 CH4 + 2 H2O
amount of electricity or natural gas from renewable energy
Livestock, food and organic waste streams currently used to resources they will underwrite by means of surcharges. Only
produce RNG are limited. However, electrolysis may create participating customers pay these surcharges.
unbounded RNG production.
Wastewater Treatment Plant A facility that removes
contaminants from wastewater and converts it into an
effluent suitable for return to the water cycle.

Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency, How Does Anaerobic Digestion Work, https://www.epa.gov/agstar/how-does-anaerobic-digestion-work; Argonne National
Laboratory, Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technology model, https://greet.es.anl.gov/; World Resources Institute, Renewable Natural Gas as a Climate
Strategy: Guidance for State Policymakers, https://www.wri.org/research/renewable-natural-gas-climate-strategy-guidance-state-policymakers; and Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu 4 I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM

Table 2: Utah Feedstocks for Renewable Natural Gas
Annual RNG Potential Renewable Natural Gas Range of Feedstock Carbon Intensity
Source Feedstocks (billion cubic feet/yr) (g CO2e/MJ)
Swine – 1MM 1.2MM tons manure
Animal Manure 3.7 (525)–(150)
Cows – 95,000 2.6MM tons manure
Landfill Gas 8 landfills 2.6 billion ft3 biogas 1.0 40–80
Wastewater 2 facilities 92,000 gallons sludge 0.7 10–40
Food Waste Wasatch RR 1MM ton food waste 2.7 (25)–0
Total Utah RNG Production 8.1
Utah Natural Gas Demand in 2020 211.6
Source: American Biogas Council, Utah Geological Survey, World Resources Institute, Utah State Agricultural Review

The U.S. government’s climate plan targets carbon neutrality Utah landfills currently collect biogas. Of these eight sites, four
by 2050.6 Under this plan, renewable natural gas would replace use biogas to support on-site operations, one creates
fossil-fuel natural gas as a heating fuel or transportation fuel compressed natural gas for vehicles, and four flare the gases.7
(i.e., compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas). Anaerobic digesters capture biogas from food waste, animal
manure, crop residues and wastewater sludge. These digesters
Renewable Natural Gas Production Cycle replicate nature’s decomposition process under optimized,
RNG generates from organic waste streams with varying controlled conditions when bacteria in an oxygen-free
degrees of process control. At one end of the spectrum, organic environment break down plant and animal matter (see Figure
waste brought to landfills has little processing other than 1). One product is biogas, composed of 50%–60% methane and
hooding to capture biogas. At the other end of the spectrum, 40%–50% carbon dioxide, plus solid digested material used as
an anaerobic digester (AD) is a sealed vessel containing soil amendment.
microbes that break down organic waste. Process controls • Biogas may produce heat and electricity for use in
include retention time in the AD, optimization of vessel engines, micro turbines, and fuel cells.
temperatures, and maintenance of an organic waste load rate • Upgraded biogas, stripped of its non-methane
to support a healthy microbial population. Each process results components, may be injected into natural gas pipelines.
in renewable natural gas (i.e., methane). Other RNG pathways
Emission Benefits When RNG replaces fossil fuel natural gas,
are gasification and power-to-gas that rely upon chemical
the emissions reductions improve the environment. A metric
reactions. Gasification converts waste streams into synthetic
characterizing the RNG benefit is “carbon intensity” (CI), based on
gases leading to methane formation. Power-to-gas electrolyzes
a life cycle emissions accounting (LCA) approach that estimates
water to produce hydrogen for conversion to methane. Each
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with producing and
RNG pathway is assessed by a life cycle emission accounting to
consuming RNG. LCA impacts are compared to a reference case
assess its carbon intensity.
in which RNG is not produced and feedstocks are managed ac-
Biogas Production Landfill is the oldest and most common cording to existing practices. Life cycle accounting steps include:
form of waste disposal. Landfill operators confine waste to as
1. Avoided methane emissions at the feedstock source
small an area as possible and compact the waste to reduce
2. Emissions from energy consumption for upgrading
volume. Soil, chipped wood, or other green waste covers the
biogas to RNG
compacted waste daily. Decaying organic waste creates
3. Methane leakage in the pipeline transport network
decomposition gases such as carbon dioxide and methane,
4. End-use emissions
which can be collected by blanketing the landfill. Eight of 54

Figure 1: Anaerobic Digestion Process

Livestock Crop Waste Food Heat Electricity Fuel Gas Grid

Waste Waste Water Waste
Anaerobic Biogas Biomethane

Digester Digestate

Source: Environmental and Energy Study Institute Fertilizer Soil Amendments Livestock Bedding

I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 5 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022

 Mi
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

The CI metric is the net grams of carbon dioxide equivalent Figure 2: Carbon Intensity of RNG Feedstocks
(CO2e) emitted per megajoule of energy over the life cycle.
RNG feedstocks (i.e., food waste, woody biomass, livestock
waste, wastewater sludge, landfill biogas) have lower CI values Diesel
than fossil natural gas and diesel fuel (see Figure 2).
Conventional Natural Gas
The animal manure-to-RNG pathway has the largest negative
RNG - Landfill
CI (–525 to –150 grams CO2e per megajoule of energy) because
RNG - Wastewater Sludge
diversion of manure from open lagoons to hooded lagoons
avoids methane emissions to the atmosphere. Methane is a pow- RNG - Food and Green Waste

erful greenhouse gas with warming potential 28–34 times great- RNG - Animal Manure
er than carbon dioxide. Avoiding these methane emissions cre- -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100 200
ates a large negative CI for the animal manure-to-RNG pathway. Carbon Intensity (g CO2 e/MJ) – Current LCFS Pathways

The food/green waste-to-RNG pathway has CI’s ranging from Range Average

–20 to +10 grams CO2e per megajoule of energy. However, this Source: World Resources Institute, Renewable Natural Gas as a Climate Strategy;
CI is an order of magnitude lower than the animal manure-to- Guidance for State Policymakers

RNG pathway due to transportation emissions and inconsistent

Figure 3: Utah Natural Gas Consumption, 2017–2020
quality of the food waste. That is, emissions for delivering food/
green waste from widely dispersed locations (i.e., grocery 250,000

MM cubic feet per annum

stores, restaurants, food service locations) to the anaerobic 200,000
digester are large relative to collecting animal manure from a
150,000
herd of livestock collocated in a barn or livestock pen.
Renewable natural gas offers potential benefits in decarbon- 100,000
izing Utah’s energy mix. However, some raise questions about
50,000
1) RNG’s scalability to cover Utah’s natural gas demand, 2) the
economics of producing RNG, and 3) overall greenhouse gas 0
2017 2018 2019 2020
impacts.
Commercial Industrial
Scalability to Meet Demand Utah consumed 211 billion cubic Electric Utilities Residential
RNG
feet of natural gas in 2020, with the residential sector accounting
Source: Utah Geological Survey; Consumption of Natural Gas in Utah
for one-third of total natural gas consumption (see Figure 3).
Natural gas heats 4 in 5 Utah households.8
Power-to-Gas Electricity produced from wind or solar is
Utah’s current RNG feedstocks could cover about 4% of Utah’s
frequently surplus to utility system requirements because of
natural gas consumption, approximating the starting points of 46.9% 30.8% 11.5%
renewable energy’s intermittent generation. Utilizing this
the RNG mix ratio by both California and British Columbia 6.4%
surplus renewable electricity in an electrolyzer creates oxygen
4.5%
utilities cited in the Overview.
(OElectric
) andPower
green hydrogen (H2). In
Transportation the third unit
Industrial of FigureCommercial
Residential 4, green
RNG production levels are currently limited by landfill, 2
hydrogen and carbon dioxide flow into a reactor, creating
livestock, and food waste streams. However, future RNG
renewable natural gas (RNG) having no carbon footprint.
production levels may increase when new technologies such as
Green
500 hydrogen, generated from renewable energies such as
power-to-gas and thermal gasification are considered.
Million Gallons Gasoline Equivalent

solar or wind, has no carbon footprint, whereas hydrogen from

400
fossil fuels has higher carbon intensity. Figure 5 displays the
pathways to gray, brown and blue hydrogen.
300
Green hydrogen will feature prominently in Utah’s energy
transition
200 to lower-carbon-intensity fuels. The Intermountain
Power Project (IPP) in Delta, Utah will fuel switch from coal to a
mix100of 70% natural gas and 30% green hydrogen in 2025. By
2045, green hydrogen will be the sole feedstock for IPP.
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu 6

Diesel
I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM
Conventional Natural Gas
 Underground CO2
storage

Figure 4: Power-to-Gas Creation of RNG

Gray Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen

Methanation Green Hydrogen

CO2
02 H
CO
2
2
Green
Electricity
CH4 O 2
CO2 H2 CO2
Natural Natural
Gas Hydrogen
Excess renewable Coal
Combined with a smallHydrogen
amount Gas Hydrogen andHydrogen
carbon Water Methane canHydrogen
be
energy of water and goes through elctrolysis, combine
Underground COthrough
2 stored in the pipeline
which splits the molecule storage methanation for future use
Source: SoCalGas; Imagine the Possibilities

Figure 5: Colors of Hydrogen Generation

Gas

Gray Hydrogen Brown Hydrogen Blue Hydrogen

Methanation Green Hydrogen
Gasifier Gas Electric
CO2
02
Recycling
H2 CO2
MSW Preparation (750º–3,000ºF) Cleaning CH
Generator
Green
Electricity
4
CO2 H2 CO2 O2
Natural Natural
Inert Solids
Gas Excess renewable Hydrogen Combined
Coal with a small amount
Hydrogen GasHydrogen and carbon Hydrogen Water Methane can be Hydrogen
energy of water and goes through elctrolysis, Particulate
combine through stored in the pipeline
which splits the molecule Underground CO
methanation 2 for future use
storage
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence Metals Glass Plastics Construction Materials

Figure 6: Biomass and Municipal Solid Waste Gasification Gas

Methanation
Livestock Waste Gasifier Gas Electric
Recycling MSW Preparation
CH4
(750º–3,000ºF) Cleaning Generator
02 H2 Heat Electricity Fuel Gas Grid
Crop Waste CO2H2 CO2

Excess renewable
Anaerobic
Combined with a small amount
Inert Solids
Biogas
Particulate
Hydrogen and carbon
Biomethane
Methane can be
energy
Waste Water Digester
of water and goes through elctrolysis,
which splits the molecule
combine through
methanation
Digestate
stored in the pipeline
for future use
Metals Glass Plastics Construction Materials
Fertilizer Soil Amendments Livestock Bedding
Source: Zafar, Salman. (2009). Gasification of municipal solid wastes. Energy Manager, 2, 47–51; https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-of-MSW-Gasification-and-Power-
Food Waste
Generation-Plant_fig1_285295261
Gas

CurrentlyLivestock
North Waste
America’s only green hydrogen supplier, Thermal Gasification Gasification converts carbon-based raw
located in eastern Canada, produces 8,000 kilograms MSWof green Gasifier
materials Heat ElectricityGas
such as biomass or waste Fuel Electric Gas
products in aGrid
high-
Recycling Preparation (750º–3,000ºF) Cleaning Generator
hydrogen Cropper Waste
day. However, announced green hydrogen temperature/-pressure vessel into synthetic gas, an intermediate
projects in North America will ramp up production to 290,000 Anaerobic Biogas Biomethane
in the production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (see Figure
Inert Solids
kilograms per day by the middle of the decade.9
Waste Water Digester6). Gasification is the leading technology for converting forest
Particulate
Digestate
Mitsubishi Power, Magnum and Chevron formed a joint waste products and coal into hydrogen. While few gasification
venture to produce, store and transport
Metals green
Glass hydrogen
Plastics in the projects Fertilizer
are inMaterials
Construction Soil Amendments
operation globally, Livestock
this technology Bedding
has potential
Food Waste
western United States. The joint venture, situated adjacent to to be a dominant waste-to-energy process. Challenges to
IPP, will generate green hydrogen via electrolysis. This green thermal gasification include high capital costs, high operating
hydrogen will be stored in an existing underground salt dome costs, and the large scale required.
beneath IPP. Livestock Waste
Heat Electricity Fuel Gas Grid
Crop Waste
Anaerobic Biogas Biomethane

Waste Water Digester Digestate

Fertilizer Soil Amendments Livestock Bedding

Food Waste
I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 7 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022
 RNG’s Role in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
This section examines how RNG deployment as a heating benefits for states with low-carbon-intensity electricity, but no
source for the residential and commercial sectors may decrease carbon benefits for states with higher carbon-intensive
greenhouse gas emissions. The trend towards building electricity (see Table 3).
electrification will be evaluated. Finally, RNG’s utilization in In Utah, electricity is 65% coal-fired. In this situation, building
heavy-duty vehicle fleets will be reviewed. electrification in Utah would increase carbon emissions relative
to buildings fueled by natural gas. Utah’s electricity carbon
Heating Fuel in Commercial and Residential Sectors RNG
intensity emissions factor is 1.65 lbs. CO2 per kWh, compared
diverts waste product–produced methane from entering the
with the natural gas emissions factor of 0.91 lbs. CO2 per kWh.
atmosphere, turning it into a usable energy source. Current Utah
By contrast, Idaho’s electricity comprises 76% renewables,
RNG potential feedstocks total about 4% of the state’s natural
the highest percentage among the western states, and 24%
gas demand. Injecting RNG into the natural gas stream delivered
natural gas, long considered a transition fuel to achieve a
to industrial, commercial and residential sectors lowers the
smaller carbon footprint. More importantly, natural gas covers
carbon intensity of fuel delivered by the gas utility.
Idaho’s baseload electricity demand when renewable energy
Reducing carbon is a national policy interest. Natural gas
sources become intermittent.
delivered to commercial and residential buildings accounted for
While newly built all-electric homes and buildings may be
11%250,000
of Utah’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 (see Figure 7).
cost-competitive with homes using natural gas, retrofits can be
MM cubic feet per annum

Municipalities
200,000
and cities in other states have recently passed
considerably more expensive, depending on existing heating
ordinances to electrify new buildings instead of delivering
150,000
and cooking systems plus the cost of effectively converting them.
natural gas. Building electrification is a strategy to convert fossil
In San Francisco, a recent study estimated costs for retrofitting a
fuel–based
100,000 elements of daily activities to run on electricity so quarter million housing units using natural gas. Estimated retrofit
benefits of lower-carbon fuels are realized. However,
50,000 costs ranged from $14,000 to $25,000 per unit.10
electrification as a decarbonization strategy depends upon
An alternative to the building electrification strategy has
using electricity
0 generated by low-carbon sources.
arisen. Modifying the utility natural gas streams to include RNG
Comparison of electricity2018
2017 feedstocks in 2019
the western 2020
states
Commercial Industrial achieves carbon reduction. A Navigant Consulting study found
illustrates how building electrification may have carbon
Electric Utilities Residential that if 46% of SoCalGas natural gas delivered to residential
RNG customers were RNG, the emissions reduction would equal that
Figure 7: Commercial and Residential CO2 Emissions in
achieved with building electrification.11
Utah, 2018
Transportation Fuel RNG also serves as a vehicle fuel
Buildings account for 11% of Utah's CO2 emissions. occupying the same market niche as fossil-fuel natural gas. RNG
46.9% 30.8% 11.5% converts to either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied
6.4% natural gas (LNG), which are both interchangeable with fossil
4.5%
Electric Power Transportation Industrial Residential Commercial
natural gas in servicing the heavy-duty vehicle market. LNG is
more expensive to produce and store than CNG, but its higher
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

500 3: Western States Electricity Feedstocks, 2019

Table
Million Gallons Gasoline Equivalent

State Coal Renewables Natural Gas Petroleum Nuclear Total Pounds CO2 per kWh
400
Idaho 0% 76% 24% 0% 0% 100% 0.22
Washington 7% 70% 15% 0% 8% 100% 0.29
300
California 0% 48% 43% 0% 8% 100% 0.39
Oregon 4% 62% 34% 0% 0% 100% 0.40
200
Nevada 7% 28% 65% 0% 0% 100% 0.75
Arizona 20% 11% 41% 0% 28% 100% 0.82
100
New Mexico 42% 24% 34% 1% 0% 100% 1.26
Colorado
0 45% 25% 30% 0% 0% 100% 1.27
Utah 2014 2015 65% 2017
2016 11%
2018 2019 24%
2020 0% 0% 100% 1.65
Montana 71% 7% 10% 0% 12% 100% 1.66
Wyoming 84% 13% 3% 0% 0% 100% 1.88
Note: Carbon intensity emissions factors are 2.21 lbs. CO2 per kWh for coal, 0.91 for natural gas, and 2.13 for petroleum.
Source: US Energy Information Administration

Diesel
January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu
Conventional Natural Gas
8 I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM

RNG - Landfill
 6.4%
4.5%
Electric Power Transportation Industrial Residential Commercial
density makes it preferable for long-distance travel. LNG and Figure 8: Renewable Natural Gas as a Transportation Fuel,
CNG are well suited to heavy-duty fleet vehicles refueling at a 2014–2020
base location. About 9% of all U.S. heavy-duty trucks operate on 500

Million Gallons Gasoline Equivalent

natural gas.12
The Renewable Fuel Standard, created by the U.S. Congress in 400
the 2005 Energy Policy Act, incentivizes blend stocks that lower
300
greenhouse gas emissions. RNG’s growth coincided with
technical issues that prevented cost-effective cellulosic
200
conversion of crop residues into liquid fuels. To fill this low-
carbon fuel production gap created by technical issues, EPA 100
administrators permitted RNG to receive incentives associated
with the cellulosic category, spurring a rapid production 0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
increase from 2014 to 2016 (see Figure 8).
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Data for the Renewable Fuel Standard

Community Benefits of Renewable Natural Gas Diesel

Conventional Natural Gas
Benefits of renewable natural gas from waste products accrue • U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) The RFS credit for
RNG - Landfill
to local and municipal operations in communities in Utah. methane produced by animal manure from waste
RNG - Wastewater Sludge
Using biogas to generate electricity defrays operating expenses. digesters was $22 per MMBTU during early 2021.13 In July
RNG - Food and Green Waste
Waste products that previously held no value are now converted 2021, natural gas traded at $3.75 per MMBTU, so the RFS
into revenue streams by means of supplying renewable natural credit was five times the marketRNG price- Animal Manure
of fossil natural gas.
gas (e.g., Smithfield Hog Farms), transportation fuel (e.g., •
-600 California Low Carbon Fuel Standard The California
-500 -400 -300 -200 -100 0 100credit200
Carbon Intensity (g CO2 e/MJ) – Current 14
LCFS Pathways
Bayview landfill), or electricity (e.g., Ballard, Sunderland, and for RNG was $45 per MMBTU in 2019, also a large
Range Average
Wadeland dairies). multiple of the market price of fossil natural gas.

Landfill Gas The Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill RNG volumes sold into California’s transportation market
Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) tracks active landfills as attract stackable federal and state credits. These stackable
well as landfills closed after 2000, since landfills continue to credits create large incentives to generate motor fuels from
emit significant volumes of methane for over 20 years after RNG created from animal manure. However, this course of
closure. The LMOP database reveals the following about Utah: action is moderated by the following factors:
• 27 of the 54 Utah landfill sites are operational. • California’s natural gas transportation market will
• Eight sites collectively capture 7 million cubic feet of eventually saturate with new supplies of RNG.
biogas per day, generating 10 MW electricity supporting • Financing RNG projects dependent upon federal and state
on-site operations. credits may deter financing sources averse to regulatory
• The Bayview landfill site in Elberta will sell RNG into the and market risks.
transportation market starting in November 2021. Utah currently has five farm-related operational anaerobic
Community benefits include defraying landfill operating digesters (see Table 4).
expenses by creating electricity and transportation-grade fuels. Farms with anaerobic digesters accrue the following benefits:
• Revenues diversify because spare digester capacity may
Animal Manure Biogas from animal manure has high potential
attract non-farm organic waste deliveries with the farm
monetary value because its large negative carbon intensity
gaining “tipping fees” for each delivery.
creates credits in the federal Renewable Fuel Standard program
• Digesters improve soil health by converting nutrients in
and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard program (see Figure
manure into a more accessible form for plants to use.
2 on page 4).
• RNG production converts into electricity powering
Prior to 2005, customary farm practice was to allow livestock
on-farm needs, diminishing out-of-pocket expenditures
manure to accumulate in an open lagoon, releasing methane
for utility electricity.
vapors into the atmosphere. However, after Congress enacted
• Digesters reduce odors from livestock manure, lessening
the Energy Policy Act of 2005, programs at the federal and state
negative impacts of farm operations on local communities.
level incentivized capture of methane vapors.

I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 9 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022

Table 4: Utah Agricultural Anaerobic Digester Facilities Wastewater Treatment Plants Utah has 20 wastewater
Name City Biogas Use Attributes
treatment plants. The Central Valley Reclamation Facility (Salt
Ballard Hog Benson Cogeneration Animals: 650 swine
Lake County) and the North Davis Sewer District (Davis County)
Farms Electricity: 297 MWh/year use methane from anaerobic digesters to supply heat and
Smithfield Hog Milford Pipeline Gas RNG production: 240,000 power for plant operations. Each location has approximately
Production dekatherms 3,300KW of power demand. Electricity generated on-site covers
Sunderland Chester Electricity Animals: 750 dairy cows approximately 85% of power demands, with the balance
Dairy Electricity: 369 MWh/year
supplied by the local utility. Both locations provide bio-solids to
Wadeland West Weber Cogeneration Animals: 1,200 dairy cows
Dairy Electricity: 823 MWh/year fertilize alfalfa hay crops and turf grass production.
Blue Mountain Milford Electricity Animals: Swine
Biogas Electricity: 3.2 MWh/year
Source: US Environmental Protection Agency, AgSTAR Livestock Anaerobic Digester Database

State Policies Supporting Renewable Natural Gas

The U.S. federal government recently rejoined the Paris Organic Waste Bans New York’s legislature passed the 2019
Climate Accord and aims for carbon neutrality by 2050. Several Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Act, a step forward in
states have assumed leading roles in adoption of RNG initiatives. preventing food waste, rescuing surplus wholesome food for
This section examines financial incentives for anaerobic those in need, and recycling any remaining food scraps.
digesters, organic waste bans, and addition of RNG into fossil Forty percent of food in the U.S. is wasted. Food amounts to
natural gas supplied by utilities. 18% of the solid waste streams sent to landfills, where
decomposing organic materials release methane into the
Financial Incentives States have created financial incentives
atmosphere. If global food waste were a country, it would be
for capital equipment such as anaerobic digesters and pipeline
the third largest emitter of methane after the United States and
infrastructure needed to inject RNG into existing natural gas
China.18 Redirecting food waste to anaerobic digesters avoids
infrastructure. Incentives include:
methane release and creates RNG.
1. Direct state payments to defray capital expenditures.
The Environmental Protection Agency frames the food waste
California SB457’s monetary incentive program supports
issue in humanitarian terms. Ideally, food production would
dairy cluster projects needing interconnecting pipelines
match demand, thereby saving land, water, and energy tied to
to reach natural gas infrastructure.15
food waste. The next highest priority is alleviation of hunger,
2. Tax exemption for RNG equipment. Washington State
while creation of energy is the lowest priority (see Figure 9).
grants a 75% exemption on sales taxes for anaerobic
digesters,16 effectively reducing the sales tax rate from
Figure 9: Recovery of Food Waste
6.5% to 1.6%. The capital cost of an on-farm anaerobic
digester ranges from $400,000 to $5 million depending on

d
rre
Source Reduction– Reduce the volume of surplus food
the number of livestock and technology.17 However, on
e
the assumption that a typical on-farm anaerobic digester ref
st P
Feed Hungy People–Donate extra food to
Mo

costs $1.2 million pre-tax, the tax savings in Washington food banks, soup kitchens, and shelters

would amount to roughly $60,000 per anaerobic digester. Feed Animals– Divert food
3. Cost recovery of RNG capital equipment. Oregon’s SB98 scraps to animal food

instructs the public utility commission to “ensure recovery Industrial Uses– Provide waste oils
of all prudently incurred costs,” contributing to a laddered for rendering and fiel consumption
and food scraps for digestion
progression of RNG goals through 2050 set by lawmakers, to recover energy
starting at 5% in 2024 and peaking at 30% in 2050. Composing– Create
Oregon’s public utility commission confirmed the a nutrient-rich soil
amendment
economic feasibility of Oregon utility ratepayers
d
rre

funding the buildout of RNG infrastructure.

e

Landfill/Incineration
ref
st P

Last resort disposal

a
Le

Source: Natural Resources Defense Council

January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu 10 I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM

 State Legislatures and Public Utility Commissions Adding RNG Table 5: Vermont RNG Adder Costs
into fossil natural gas deliveries to rate-paying utility customers
Blend Ratio with Fossil Natural Gas Annual Cost
would incur additional costs such as biogas upgrading and
10% $112
interconnections services from a cluster of hog farms to the
25% $280
utility pipeline.
50% $559
Two regulatory principles potentially impede RNG integration
100% $1,118
into fossil natural gas delivered to ratepayers. Public utility
Notes: Annual residential natural gas consumption is 90,000 cubic feet. The fossil natural gas
commissions govern utility rates, allowing utilities to recover price was $13.14 per thousand cubic feet. Source: Vermont Gas
capital asset investments with an associated rate of return. The
“least cost” regulatory principle requires utilities to demonstrate
The Illinois ruling permits capital investment up to $16 million
their investments represent the lowest-cost option while
and allows Nicor Gas to collect an associated tariff.
maintaining reliable service. The “used and useful” principle
requires assets be physically used and useful to current Voluntary Green Premium Program Making an RNG program
ratepayers before those ratepayers pay the costs associated voluntary allows self-selection by individual ratepayers for
with them. higher costs, avoiding the “least cost” regulatory requirement
State legislatures have introduced innovative policies by issu- for this subset of ratepayers willing to pay a “green premium.”
ing instructions to the public utility commission, implementing Vermont Gas allows residential and commercial ratepayers to
pilot programs to include environmental benefits in the select an RNG blend percentage. Participants pay an “adder”
assessment of the “least cost” determination, or allowing price based on the difference in cost between fossil natural gas
ratepayers to self-select for higher utility payments. and RNG. Ratepayers choose RNG program participation at
various tranches (e.g., 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100%) of their
Issuing Instructions When Oregon’s legislature passed SB98 in
monthly natural gas usage. Table 5 shows levels of estimated
2019, the legislature instructed the public utility commission to
“adder” costs for the Vermont program.
adopt a statewide rule to implement RNG target goals while
Dominion Energy initiated its own voluntary green premium
providing a ratepayer protection plan against higher costs due to
program, GreenTherm, in 2020. Ratepayers elect a number of
biogas conditioning and interconnection services. SB98 states
green attributes added as a surcharge to their monthly gas bill.
that the natural gas utility’s incremental annual costs may not
A green attribute certifies production of RNG and the surcharge
exceed 5% of “total annual revenue requirement,” thereby
acknowledges environmental benefits from carbon-free fuels.
protecting Oregon ratepayers from excessively higher costs.
A typical Utah residential customer consuming 80 dekatherms
Pilot Programs Utilities may narrowly define an RNG pilot per annum would pay $400 annually for RNG attributes. By
program in order to gain flexibility on the “least cost” regulatory capturing methane released from organic waste and
principle. Nicor Gas, an Illinois natural gas utility, obtained pilot repurposing it as RNG, the program reduces contributions to
program approval from the state’s public utility commission to climate change and improves air quality.
interconnect RNG into Nicor’s natural gas distribution system.

Conclusion
Renewable natural gas facilitates decarbonization of Utah’s switching in 2025 at the Intermountain Power Plant will increase
energy mix. RNG feedstocks comprise waste streams from green hydrogen availability.
livestock, landfills and food. Recycling these waste streams avoids State policies and local utility actions in Oregon, Washington,
the release of methane, which has warming potential 28–34 California, Illinois and Vermont facilitate RNG growth by offer-
times greater than carbon dioxide. Life cycle accounting of RNG ing financial incentives for investment in anaerobic digesters.
pathways enables policymakers to assess environmental benefits. Cooperation between the state legislatures and public utility
Utah RNG volumes could supply 4% of Utah’s fossil natural commissions has facilitated commingling of renewable natural
gas demand. Blending Utah’s current RNG production volumes gas and fossil natural gas while providing ratepayer protection
with fossil natural gas would approximate the starting point for against higher costs due to biogas upgrading and interconnec-
RNG introduction set by California and British Columbia utilities. tion to utility pipelines.
Power-to-gas and thermal gasification technologies could
enable RNG growth. Power-to-gas is likely in Utah because fuel

I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 11 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022

Endnotes
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Waste FAQs, https://www.usda.gov/ 11. Navigant Consulting Inc., Analysis of the Role of Gas for a Low-Carbon
foodwaste/faqs California Future, https://www.socalgas.com/1443741887279/SoCalGas_
2. Environmental Protection Agency, Sustainable Management of Food, Renewable_Gas_Final-Report.pdf
https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/wasted-food- 12. US Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, https://afdc.
programs-and-resources-across-united-states energy.gov/vehicles/natural_gas.html
3. Wasatch Resource Recovery, https://wasatchresourcerecovery.com/ 13. United States Environmental Protection Agency, biogas from a waste
4. National Association of Clean Water Agencies, https://afdc.energy.gov/ digester corresponds to a D5 RIN code, https://www.epa.gov/fuels-
fuels/natural_gas_renewable.html registration-reporting-and-compliance-help/rin-trades-and-price-
5. Environment and Energy Study Institute, https://www.eesi.org/papers/ information
view/fact-sheet-biogasconverting-waste-to-energy 14. M.J. Bradley & Associates, Renewable Natural Gas Project Economics,
6. U.S. Whitehouse website, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/ https://www.mjbradley.com/sites/default/files/RNGEconomics07152019.
statements-releases/2021/04/22 pdf
7. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Landfill Methane 15. California Legislative Information, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/
Outreach Program, https://www.epa.gov/lmop/project-and-landfill-data- billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB457
state 16. Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, https://
8. United States Energy Information Administration, 2021 Utah State Energy programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/detail/576
Profile, https://www.eia.gov/state/data.php?sid=UT 17. Exploring Energy Efficiency & Alternatives, https://www.e3a4u.info/
9. RBN Hydrogen Billboard, U.S. Hydrogen Market Fundamentals, 15 energy-technologies/anaerobic-digesters/economics/
September 2021, https://rbnenergy.com/hydrogen-billboard/ 18. New York State Passes Landmark Food Waste Bill, https://www.nrdc.org/
report/2021-09-15 experts/margaret-brown/new-york-state-passes-landmark-food-waste-bill
10. Institute for Energy Research, Electrifying Homes could cost San Francisco,
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/
electrifying-homes-could-cost-san-francisco-5-9-billion/

January 2022 I gardner.utah.edu 12 I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM

I N F O R M E D D E C I S I O N S TM 13 gardner.utah.edu I January 2022
Partners in the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Advisory Board
Community Conveners Cameron Diehl Sterling Nielsen Ex Officio (invited)
Michael O. Leavitt Lisa Eccles Cristina Ortega Governor Spencer Cox
The following individuals
Mitt Romney Spencer P. Eccles Jason Perry Speaker Brad Wilson
and entities help support
Christian Gardner Ray Pickup Senate President
the research mission of the
Board Kem C. Gardner Gary B. Porter Stuart Adams
Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
Scott Anderson, Co-Chair Kimberly Gardner Taylor Randall Representative Brian King
Legacy Partners Gail Miller, Co-Chair Natalie Gochnour Jill Remington Love Senator Karen Mayne
Doug Anderson Brandy Grace Brad Rencher Mayor Jenny Wilson
The Gardner Company
Deborah Bayle Rachel Hayes Josh Romney Mayor Erin Mendenhall
Intermountain Healthcare Clark Ivory Charles W. Sorenson
Cynthia A. Berg
Clark and Christine Ivory Roger Boyer Mike S. Leavitt James Lee Sorenson
Foundation Derek Miller Vicki Varela
Wilford Clyde
KSL and Deseret News Sophia M. DiCaro Ann Millner
Larry H. & Gail Miller Family
Foundation
Mountain America Credit Union Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Staff and Advisors
Salt Lake City Corporation Leadership Team Levi Pace, Senior Research Economist
Salt Lake County Natalie Gochnour, Associate Dean and Director Shannon Simonsen, Research Coordinator
University of Utah Health Jennifer Robinson, Associate Director Joshua Spolsdoff, Senior Research Economist
Utah Governor’s Office of Mallory Bateman, Director of Demographic Research Paul Springer, Senior Graphic Designer
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WCF Insurance Colleen Larson, Administrative Manager
Faculty Advisors
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Executive Partners Adam Meirowitz, David Eccles School of Business
Mark and Karen Bouchard Staff Elena Patel, David Eccles School of Business
The Boyer Company Eric Albers, Research Associate Nathan Seegert, David Eccles School of Business
Salt Lake Chamber Max Backlund, Senior Research Associate
Senior Advisors
Max Becker, Research Associate
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Sustaining Partners
Mallory Bateman, Senior Research Analyst Silvia Castro, Suazo Business Center
Clyde Companies Gary Cornia, Marriott School of Business
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Construction Phil Dean, Public Finance Senior Research Fellow Dan Griffiths, Tanner LLC
John C. Downen, Deputy Director of Economic Emma Houston, University of Utah
and Public Policy Research Beth Jarosz, Population Reference Bureau
Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow Darin Mellott, CBRE
Emily Harris, Senior Demographer Pamela S. Perlich, University of Utah
Michael T. Hogue, Senior Research Statistician Chris Redgrave, Community-at-Large
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