Sec. 9111. Biogas research and adoption of biogas systems
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Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after section 9011 ( 7 U.S.C. 8111 ) the following: In this section: The term anaerobic digestion means a biological process or series of biological processes— through which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen; and the end products of which are biogas and digested materials. The term biogas means a mixture of primarily methane and carbon dioxide produced by the bacterial decomposition of organic materials in the absence of oxygen.
The term biogas processing means the process by which water, carbon dioxide, and other trace compounds are removed from biogas, as determined by the end user. The term biogas system means a system— with the potential to capture and use biogas, including biogas from organic waste, including animal manure, food waste, waste from landfills, and wastewater; and that includes— the infrastructure necessary to manage the organic waste referred to in subparagraph (A); the equipment necessary to generate— electricity, heat, or fuel; and biogas system co-products; and the equipment necessary for biogas processing.
The term biogas system co-product means a nonenergy biogas system product produced from digested material, including soil amendments, fertilizers, compost, animal bedding, and feedstock for plastics and chemicals. The term digested material means solid or liquid digested material— produced by digesters; and that contains nutrients and organic carbon. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 , the Secretary, acting jointly with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator, shall establish an Interagency Biogas Opportunities Task Force (referred to in this subsection as the Task Force ) that shall coordinate policies, programs, and research to accelerate— biogas research; and investment in cost-effective biogas systems.
The Task Force shall be composed of— the head of each Federal office responsible for biogas research or biogas system financing (or a designee), including a representative from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency; 1 or more representatives of State or local governments, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator; 1 or more nongovernmental or industry stakeholders, including 1 or more stakeholders from relevant industries, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator; and 1 or more community stakeholders.
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Task Force shall— evaluate and improve the coordination of loan and grant programs of the Federal agencies represented on the Task Force— to broaden the financing options available for biogas systems; and to enhance opportunities for private financing of biogas systems; review Federal procurement guidelines to ensure that products of biogas systems are eligible for and promoted by applicable procurement programs of the Federal Government; in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, evaluate the development of North American Industry Classification System and North American Product Classification System codes for biogas and biogas system products; review opportunities and develop strategies to overcome barriers to integrating biogas into electricity and renewable natural gas markets; develop tools to broaden the market for nonenergy biogas system products, including by developing best management practices for— the use and land application of digestate to maximize recovery of waste resources and minimize environmental and public health risks; and the use of carbon dioxide from biogas processing; provide information on the ability of biogas system products to participate in markets that provide environmental benefits; identify and investigate research gaps in biogas and anaerobic digestion technology, including research gaps in environmental benefits, market assessment, and performance standards; assess the most cost-effective voluntary investments in biogas to reduce waste and methane emissions; and identify and advance additional priorities, as determined by the Task Force.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to Congress a report that— describes the steps taken by the Task Force to carry out the duties of the Task Force under paragraph (3); and identifies and prioritizes policies and technology opportunities— to expand the biogas industry; to eliminate barriers to investment in biogas systems in the landfill, livestock, wastewater, and other relevant sectors; and to enhance opportunities for private and public sector partnerships to finance biogas systems.
The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator, shall enter into an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to conduct a study relating to biogas. Under the agreement described in subparagraph (A), the study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shall include an analysis of— barriers to injecting biogas into existing natural gas pipelines; methods for optimizing biogas systems, including methods to obtain the highest energy output from biogas, including through the use of co-digestion; opportunities for, and barriers to, the productive use of biogas system co-products, carbon dioxide from biogas processing, and recovered nutrients; the optimal configuration of local, State, or regional infrastructure for the production of electricity, heat, or fuel from biogas, including infrastructure for the aggregation, cleaning, and pipeline injection of biogas; and any other subject relating to biogas, as determined by the Interagency Biogas Opportunities Task Force established under subsection (b)(1).
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 , the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under this paragraph. The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator, shall identify, collect, and analyze environmental, technical, and economic performance data relating to biogas systems, including the production of energy of biogas systems, co-products, greenhouse gas and other emissions, water quality benefits, and other data necessary to develop markets for biogas and biogas system co-products. .
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Sec. 9111
Biogas research and adoption of biogas systems
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