A unique integrated technology platform for producing renewable energy from organic waste is being championed by the newly formed Integrated Biogas Alliance (IBA), supported by British Columbia-based Greenlane Renewables Inc. and other founding members.

The effort is being supported by the U.S. natural gas vehicle (NGV) trade group, Washington, DC-based NGVAmerica, of which Greenlane is a member, NGVAmerica President Daniel Gage told NGI on Thursday. IBA member companies from Italy and Germany are also supporting the effort, which is aimed at lowering risks for new entrants into the biofuel transportation business.

“Internationally recognized technology companies with long track records of success in the biogas industry have joined forces on a nonexclusive basis to provide the global biogas industry with a fully integrated organic waste-to-renewable energy platform solution,” Greenlane CEO Brad Douville said.

Greenlane and the IBA members, such as Illinois-based Eisenmann Corp. with its anaerobic digestion technology deployed in more than 100 sites worldwide, are banking on using a generic platform to help first-time developers of biogas plants lower their project costs and risks and “improve their bankability.”

IBA claims its members hold the capability of processing virtually any organic waste, including livestock and food/green waste to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) as well as compost and other organic fertilizers.

Douville noted that along with fuel and fertilizer production, the model platform results in significant lowering of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“Our full spectrum of biogas upgrading systems are designed to handle every biogas application from landfills and wastewater treatment plants to dairy farms and food or other organic waste facilities,” said Douville, adding that the technology array and global alliance will provide solutions for any kind of organics waste project.

He stressed that the effort is aimed at providing economic, agronomic and environmental gains while providing stronger financial returns for the companies investing in the technological platform.

IBA’s formation is a recognition of the “need for an integrated platform solution approach to advancing the deployment of biogas plants around the world,” Douville said.

Other IBA members involved in the global project are two from Italy, AB Energy and Entsorga, and the German firm Tietjen. The Italian companies concentrate on cogeneration and/or green technologies. The privately-held German firm offers a full range of process equipment and services in the animal feed production and treatment of biomasses.