Clean Energy Fuels Unveils South Dakota RNG Facility

By Scout Nelson

Clean Energy Fuels Corp., based in Newport Beach, California, has reached a significant milestone in advancing sustainable transportation with the opening of a new renewable natural gas (RNG) production facility in Lake Norden, South Dakota. The facility, located at Drumgoon Dairy, a 6,500-cow dairy farm, is anticipated to supply 1.66 million gallons of negative carbon-intensity RNG annually to the transportation market. 

The $38 million RNG digester project at Drumgoon Dairy, completed in early December 2023, aligns with Clean Energy's commitment to decarbonizing transportation through the development and delivery of RNG derived from organic waste. The RNG facility captures methane produced by the dairy's cows, transforming it into a clean fuel suitable for the transportation sector. 

When operating at full capacity, the RNG produced at Drumgoon Dairy will be injected into Clean Energy's interstate natural gas pipeline system, making it available at the company's network of fueling stations across the United States and Canada. The project is financed through Clean Energy's joint venture with BP and was developed in collaboration with Dynamic Renewables. 

Clay Corbus, Senior Vice President of Renewables at Clean Energy, emphasizes the significance of the RNG project at Drumgoon Dairy, noting its contribution to controlling harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture, responsible for nearly 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and the transportation sector, contributing 28 percent, both benefit from the reduction achieved by capturing methane from farm waste. 

Clean Energy Fuels continues to pursue its mission of decarbonizing transportation, with RNG playing a crucial role in providing a sustainable fuel alternative derived from organic waste. The collaboration with BP and Dynamic Renewables underscores the commitment to developing RNG projects at dairies in the Midwest, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation ecosystem. 

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