Anaergia Inc. said the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has conditionally approved a long-term biomethane procurement contract supported by Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane LLC facility, Anew Climate LLC, and Southwest Gas. The project will be the first to supply renewable natural gas (RNG) under California’s Senate Bill (SB) 1440 Biomethane Procurement Program.
Anaergia on March 20 said the approval puts Anaergia at the forefront of California’s decarbonization strategy and effort to scale RNG produced from organic waste. The earlier California SB 1383 targeted a dramatic reduction in organic waste, and SB 1440 now establishes a requirement on California’s investor-owned utilities to procure RNG derived from landfill-diverted organic waste at a scale equivalent to about 55 facilities the size of SoCal Biomethane by 2035.
Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane facility is located at the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority. The site co-digests organic waste and municipal wastewater to produce biogas that is upgraded to RNG and injected into the gas pipeline for distribution. The facility can accept up to 104,000 tons of diverted organic waste annually, and has the potential to reduce emissions by up to 31,710 MTCO2e per year, equivalent to emissions from about 7,400 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles annually. The project also provides local economic benefits to Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia by employing local staff.
“Anaergia is proud that our facility will be the first to supply SB 1440-qualified RNG in California,” said Assaf Onn, Anaergia’s CEO. “This milestone demonstrates how existing wastewater infrastructure can be leveraged to rapidly scale RNG supply from organic waste as mandated by California laws SB 1383 and SB 1440.”
“Long‑term offtake agreements from natural gas utilities support state climate goals, and we appreciate the CPUC’s leadership in advancing projects that deliver real, local emissions reductions,” said Ryan Childress, managing director of Low Carbon Fuels at Anew Climate. “This is a meaningful step toward scaling renewable, baseload energy.”
Darron Poulsen, general manager of the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority, said, “VVWRA is proud to be part of California’s first project delivering RNG under Senate Bill 1440. Wastewater facilities like ours are uniquely positioned to turn organic waste into clean, renewable energy, and this partnership with Anaergia shows just how impactful that collaboration can be. SB 1440 provides a critical framework that accelerates the development of projects that reduce methane emissions, support grid reliability, and strengthen local communities. We strongly support this legislation and look forward to continuing our work with Anaergia to advance sustainable, cost‑effective solutions for the Victor Valley and the State of California.”
Sam Wade, VP of Public Policy for RNG COALITION, said, “The SoCal Biomethane facility is a great example from which California can build. Our state can and should retrofit other existing wastewater plants in the state to process organic waste, reduce greenhouse gases, and generate renewable natural gas, a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels consumed across society. We applaud all parties involved, including multiple Coalition members, for their leadership on this important breakthrough project.” The RNG COALITION is the non-profit association providing industry leadership, education and advocacy for RNG development as a sustainable source for clean fuel, heat, power, products and services.
—This content was contributed by Anaergia.
