TC Energy in first RNG production at Jack Daniels distillery

Canadian energy infrastructure company TC Energy said October 17 it had made its first foray into renewable natural gas (RNG) with a C$29.3mn (US$21.2mn) investment into an RNG facility at the iconic Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Owned by Lynchburg Renewable Fuels, the facility will produce RNG with a carbon intensity score 50% lower than traditional natural gas, preventing about 16,000 mt/yr of CO₂ emissions. The project is being developed by 3 Rivers Energy Partners, which is also an owner in Lynchburg Renewable Fuels, and is expected to be operational in 2024.

Feedstock is a byproduct of the Jack Daniels distilling process, broken down to generate methane gases. A biogas upgrade plant will remove contaminants to produce pipeline-quality RNG that will be directly connected to a local natural gas utility. Liquid fertiliser will also be produced for local agricultural markets.

“This investment is our first in the production of renewable natural gas,” said Corey Hessen, TC Energy’s executive vice president and president of its power & energy solutions business. “The production of RNG onsite at the Jack Daniel Distillery offers TC Energy one more opportunity to meet the challenge of growing energy needs and reducing emissions while providing customers with access to an affordable, reliable source of energy.”

TC Energy will market 100% of the RNG production and environmental attributes associated with the RNG, including renewable identification numbers and low carbon fuel standards. TC Energy and 3 Rivers have also committed to jointly develop future RNG projects, taking advantage of TC Energy’s existing capacity to flow 30bn ft³/year of RNG through its North American pipeline network.