Chevron, Brightmark in California RNG plan

Global waste solutions company Brightmark RNG Holdings – a joint venture partnership between Chevron USA and Brightmark Fund Holdings – announced plans to construct an anaerobic digestion project on January 20.

The project will capture, clean, and convert methane that would otherwise escape to the atmosphere on the Vlot Calf Ranch and dairy farm in Chowchilla, California into renewable natural gas (RNG).  

RNG from dairy operations has a negative carbon intensity on a lifecycle basis under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard when used in the transportation sector.

“The Vlot project represents a major milestone for Brightmark and its RNG production efforts,” Brightmark CEO Bob Powell said. “Being able to partner with Chevron and the Vlot Calf Ranch on our largest RNG project to date and first project in our home state of California represents a particular point of pride for our company and efforts.”

“As a California company, Chevron has provided the state’s residents with affordable, reliable energy for more than 140 years,” said Andy Walz, president of Americas Fuels & Lubricants at Chevron. “Developing and delivering renewable natural gas with Brightmark and the Vlot Calf Ranch, once completed, demonstrates our commitment to working across critical sectors of the state’s economy to increase the supply of fuels with a lower lifecycle carbon intensity.”

The project is expected to be completed in 2023 with other renewable products being generated by the project including recycled water, biofertiliser and digested dairy fibre.