UGI Energy Services commissions new renewable natural-gas facility in Fleming

FLEMING, N.Y. — Cayuga RNG Holdings, LLC on Friday commissioned its new renewable natural gas (RNG) facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Spruce Haven Farm in the town of Fleming in Cayuga County.

Cayuga RNG is a joint venture of UGI Energy Services, LLC (UGIES), a subsidiary of UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI), and Global Common Ventures, LLC (GCV). UGI Corp. is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and GCV is based in Garden City in Nassau County on Long Island.

“We are excited to commission our first RNG project in New York,” Robert Beard, executive VP of natural gas at UGI Corp., said. “Renewable natural gas projects, like this one at Spruce Haven Farm, provide an environmentally friendly energy source. In addition, these projects provide an opportunity to work with farmers like Doug Young, whose critical work is helping to feed the region and the country. Spruce Haven RNG is one of several renewable projects within UGI’s portfolio that will advance our long-term sustainable strategy.”

Spruce Haven RNG is Cayuga RNG’s first of four announced projects designed to produce RNG in the Finger Lakes region.

As the joint venture explains it, Spruce Haven incorporates an anaerobic digester that generates biogas. That is then processed through gas-upgrading equipment, generating “pipeline quality” RNG. The Spruce Haven RNG project is anticipated to produce 50 million cubic feet of RNG annually from on-site dairy manure. The RNG supply will be delivered to a local natural-gas utility serving its regional distribution system.

RNG projects increase the use of renewable energy while reducing waste and long-term greenhouse-gas emissions and enhancing water quality, per the Friday announcement.

GHI Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of UGIES, is the exclusive off-taker and marketer of RNG for Cayuga RNG. GHI intends to use the RNG produced by Spruce Haven RNG to supply its customers that use natural gas in transportation operations and ultimately generate valuable environmental credits. Most of GHI’s customers are located in California.

GCV designs, develops, owns, and operates renewable and fossil-fueled power plants; microgrids; on-site generation projects; and large-scale anaerobic digestion projects that produce RNG and organic based soil amendments.