N.J. Admin. Code § 7:27C-10.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 7:27C-10.7 - CO[2] emissions offset project standards-avoided methane emissions from agricultural manure management operations

(a) To qualify for the award of CO[2] offset allowances, in addition to satisfying the other applicable requirements of this subchapter, an offset project that reduces CO-equivalent emissions by capturing and destroying methane from animal manure and organic food waste using anaerobic digesters shall meet the requirements of (b) through (g) below.

(b) An offset project that captures and destroys methane from animal manure and organic food waste using anaerobic digesters shall:

1. Consist of the destruction of that portion of methane generated by an anaerobic digester that would have been generated in the absence of the offset project through the uncontrolled anaerobic storage of manure or organic food waste; and

2. Employ only manure-based anaerobic digester systems using livestock manure as the majority of digester feedstock, defined as more than 50 percent of the mass input into the digester on an annual basis. The remainder of the digester feedstock may be organic food waste that would have been stored in anaerobic conditions in the absence of the offset project.

(c) The provisions of N.J.A.C. 7:27C-10.3(d)2 and 3 do not apply to an agricultural manure management offset project if:

1. The offset project is located in a state that has a market penetration rate for anaerobic digester projects of five percent or less. The market penetration rate determination shall utilize the most recent market data available at the time of submission of the consistency application pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:27C-10.4 and shall be determined as follows:

MP (percent) = MG[AD]/MG[STATE]

where:

MG[AD] = Average annual manure generation for the number of dairy cows and swine serving all anaerobic digester projects in the applicable state at the time of submission of a consistency application pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:27C-10.4; and

MG[STATE] = average annual manure production of all dairy cows and swine in the state at the time of submission of a consistency application pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:27C-10.4; or

2. The offset project is located at a farm with 4,000 or fewer head of dairy cows, or a farm with equivalent animal units, assuming an average live weight for dairy cows (in pounds per cow) of 1,400 pounds, or, if the project is a regional-type digester, total annual manure input to the digester is designed to be less than the average annual manure produced by a farm with 4,000 or fewer head of dairy cows, or a farm with equivalent animal units, assuming an average live weight for dairy cows (in pounds per cow) of 1,400 pounds.

(d) The project sponsor shall provide a detailed narrative of the offset project actions to be taken, including documentation that the offset project meets the requirements of (b) above. The offset project narrative shall include:

1. Identification of the owners and operators of the offset project;

2. The location and specifications of the facility where the offset project will occur;

3. Identification of the owners and operators of the facility where the offset project will occur;

4. Specifications of the equipment to be installed and a technical schematic of the offset project; and

5. The location and specifications of the facilities from which anaerobic digester influent will be received, if different from the facility where the offset project will occur.

(e) The emissions baseline shall represent the potential emissions of the methane that would have been produced in a baseline scenario under uncontrolled anaerobic storage conditions and released directly to the atmosphere in the absence of the offset project, and is calculated as follows:

1. Baseline methane emissions shall be calculated as follows:

Eb = (Vm x M)/2000 x GWP

where:

E[b] = Potential COe emissions due to calculated CH[4] production under site-specific anaerobic storage and weather conditions (tons);

V[m] = Volume of CHproduced each month from decomposition of volatile solids in a baseline uncontrolled anaerobic storage scenario under site-specific storage and weather conditions for the facility at which the manure or organic food waste is generated (ft<3>);

M = Mass of CH per cubic foot (0.04246 lb/ft<3> default value at one atmosphere and 20 degrees Celsius); and

GWP = Global warming potential of CH[4] (28);

2. The estimated amount of volatile solids decomposed each month under the uncontrolled anaerobic storage baseline scenario (kg) shall be calculated as follows:

VS[dec] = VS[avail] x f

where:

VS = volatile solids as determined from the equation:

VS = M[m] x TS[percent] x VS[percent]

where:

M[m] = mass of manure or organic food waste produced per month (kg);

TS[percent] = concentration (percent) of total solids in manure or organic food waste as determined through EPA 160.3 testing method (U.S.EPA Method Number 160.3, Methods for the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes (MCAWW) (EPA/600/4-79/020)), which is incorporated herein by reference, which is available at EPA's website at www.epa.gov; and

VS[percent] = concentration (percent) of volatile solids in total solids as determined through EPA 160.4 testing method (U.S.EPA Method Number 160.4, Methods for the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes (MCAWW) (EPA/600/4-79/020), which is incorporated herein by reference, and which is available at the EPA's website;

VS[avail] = volatile solids available for decomposition in manure or organic food waste storage each month as determined from the equation:

VS[avail] = VS + 1/2 VS-VS

where:

VS[p] = volatile solids present in manure or organic food waste storage at beginning of month (left over from previous month) (kg);

VS[in] = volatile solids added to manure or organic food waste storage during the course of the month (kg). The factor of 1/2 is multiplied by this number to represent the average mass of volatile solids available for decomposition for the entire duration of the month; and

VS[out] = volatile solids removed from the manure or organic food waste storage for land application or export (assumed value based on standard farm practice); and

f = van't Hoff-Arrhenius factor for the specific month as determined using the equation below. Using a base temperature of 30 degrees< >Celsius, the equation is as follows:

f = exp[[E(T[2] -T[1]] /[GC x T[1] x T[2]]]

where:

f = conversion efficiency of VS to CH[4] per month;

E = activation energy constant (15,175 cal/mol);

T[2] = average monthly ambient temperature for facility where manure or organic food waste is generated (converted from degrees< >Celsius to degrees< >Kelvin) as determined from the nearest National Weather Service certified weather station (if reported temperature in degrees< >Celsius > five degrees< >Celsius; if reported temperature in degrees Celsius < five degrees< >Celsius, then f = 0.104); and

T[1] = 303.15 (30 degrees Celsius converted to degrees Kelvin); and

GC = ideal gas constant (1.987 cal/K mol); and

3. The volume of methane produced, in cubic feet (ft<3>), from decomposition of volatile solids shall be calculated as follows:

V[m] = (VS[dec] x B[o]) x 35.3147

where:

V[m] = volume of CH[4] (ft<3>);

VS[dec]= volatile solids decomposed (kg); and

B[o] = manure or organic food waste type-specific maximum methane generation constant (m<3 >CH[4]/kg VS decomposed). For dairy cow manure, B[o] = 0.24 m<3> CH[4]/kg VS decomposed. The methane generation constant for other types of manure shall be those cited at EPA, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2010, Annex 3, Table A-180 Methodology for Estimating CH[4] and N[2]O Emissions from Manure Management (EPA, February 2017), as supplemented or amended, and which is incorporated herein by reference and which is available from EPA at its website at www.epa.gov, unless the project sponsor proposes an alternate methane generation constant and that alternate is approved by the Department. If the project sponsor proposes to use a methane generation constant other than the ones found in the above-cited reference, the project sponsor shall provide justification and documentation to the Department.

(f) Emissions reductions shall be calculated as follows:

ERt = Eb-Ep

where:

ERt = CO[2]e emissions reductions due to project activities (tons);

Eb = Potential CO[2]e emissions due to calculated methane production under site-specific anaerobic storage and weather conditions (tons);

Ep = CO[2]e emissions due to project activities additional to baseline (tons), including, but not limited to, manure transportation, flaring, venting, and effluent management.

(g) Emissions reductions calculated pursuant to (f) above may not exceed the potential emissions of the anaerobic digester, as represented by the annual volume of methane produced by the anaerobic digester, as monitored pursuant to (i) below. CO[2] emissions due to transportation of manure and organic food waste from the site where the manure and organic food waste was generated to the anaerobic digester shall be subtracted from the emissions reduction calculated pursuant to (e)1, 2, and 3 above.

(h) Transport CO[2] emissions used in emissions reductions calculated pursuant to (f) above must be determined through one of the following methods:

1. Documentation of transport fuel use for all shipments of manure and organic food waste from off-site to the anaerobic digester during each reporting year and a log of transport miles for each shipment. Off-site is defined as a location that is not contiguous with the property where the anaerobic digester is located. CO[2] emissions shall be determined through the application of an emissions factor for the fuel type used. For this method of determination, the emissions factor for the use of diesel fuel is 22.912 pounds of COper gallon, and for the use of gasoline, 19.878 pounds of CO[2] per gallon. If other fuel is used, the project sponsor, as part of the monitoring and verification report submitted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:27C-10.9(c) or (d) shall submit an emissions factor for approval by the Department, as technically appropriate; or

2. Documentation of total tons of manure and organic food waste transported from off-site for input into the anaerobic digester during each reporting year, as monitored pursuant to (i)1 below, and a log of transport miles and fuel type used for each shipment. COemissions shall be determined through the application of a ton-mile transport emissions factor for the fuel type used. The appropriate emissions factor shall be applied for each ton of manure delivered and multiplied by the number of miles transported. For this method of determination, the emissions factor for the use of diesel fuel is 0.131 pounds of CO[2] per ton-mile, and for the use of gasoline is 0.133 pounds of COper ton-mile. If other fuel is used, the project sponsor shall submit an emissions factor for approval by the Department, as technically appropriate.

(i) An offset project shall employ a system that provides metering of biogas volumetric flow rate and determination of methane concentration. Annual monitoring and verification reports shall include monthly biogas volumetric flow rate and methane concentration determination. Monitoring and verification shall also meet the following requirements:

1. If the offset project is a regional-type digester, manure and organic food waste from each distinct source supplying to the anaerobic digester shall be sampled monthly to determine the amount of volatile solids present. Any emissions reduction will be calculated according to mass of manure and organic food waste, in kilograms (kg) being digested and percentage of volatile solids present before digestion, consistent with (e) above and (i)3 below, and apportioned accordingly among sources. The project sponsor shall provide supporting material and receipts tracking the monthly receipt of manure and organic food waste in kilograms (kg) used to supply the anaerobic digester from each supplier;

2. If the offset project includes the digestion of organic food waste eligible pursuant to (b)2 above, organic food waste shall be sampled monthly to determine the amount of volatile solids present before digestion, consistent with the requirements of (e) above and (i)3 below, and apportioned accordingly; and

3. The project sponsor shall submit a monitoring and verification plan as part of the consistency application that includes a quality assurance and quality control program associated with equipment used to determine biogas volumetric flow rate and methane composition. The monitoring and verification plan shall be consistent with the applicable input monitoring requirements listed in Table 5 below. The monitoring and verification plan shall also include provisions for ensuring that measuring and monitoring equipment is maintained, operated, and calibrated based on manufacturer's recommendations, as well as provisions for the retention of maintenance records for audit purposes. The monitoring and verification plan shall be certified by an accredited independent verifier.

Table 5 Monitoring Requirements

Table 5 Monitoring Requirements
(Parameter	Measurement Unit	Frequency of Sampling	Sampling Method(s)
Influent |flow (mass) into the [digester	Kilograms (kg) per month (wet mass)	Monthly total into the digester	In descending order of preference:
			1. Recorded mass;
			2. Digester influent pump flow; or
			3. Livestock population and application of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) standard (ASAE D384.2, Manure Production and Characteristics, March 2005, incorporated herein by reference, as supplemented or amended, and which is available from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) at http://www.ansi.org.
Influent total solids concentration (TS)	Percent (of (sample)	Monthly, (depending upon recorded variations	U.S. EPA Method Number 160.3, Methods for the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes (MCAWW) (EPA/600/4-79/020), which is incorporated by reference, and available at the EPA's website at www.epa.gov.
Influent volatile solids (VS) concentration	Percent (of TS)	Monthly, depending upon recorded variations	EPA Test Method Number 160.4, Methods for the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes (MCAWW) (EPA/600/4-79/020)), which is incorporated herein by reference, as supplemented or amended, and available at the EPA's website, www.epa.gov.
Average monthly ambient temperature	Temperature degrees Celsius	Monthly (based on farm averages)	Closest National Weather Service-certified weather station
Volume of biogas produced by digester	Standard cubic feet (scf)	Continuous, totalized monthly	Flow meter
Methane composition of biogas produced by digester	Percent (of sample)	Quarterly	Bag sampling and third-party laboratory analysis using applicable EPA test methods

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:27C-10.7

Adopted by 51 N.J.R. 992(a), effective 6/17/2019