On Monday, Caterpillar Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives, announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North American renewable natural gas (RNG) producer Certarus to explore ways of providing lower carbon energy solutions to the companies’ combined customer base.
Per the agreement, the two companies will work together in predetermined key areas to advance the use of lower carbon fuels, including conventional and renewable natural gas and hydrogen.
“Certarus is excited to work with Caterpillar on the transition to a lower carbon future,” said Certarus CEO Curtis Philippon, commenting on the partnership. “Together we will develop the tools to enable commercial customers to reduce their carbon intensity and achieve environmental and economic benefits. Through our collaboration we are quickly becoming leaders in the integration of hydrogen as a clean energy solution.”
“Working with Certarus to develop future lower carbon solutions for the industries we serve is a natural extension of our relationship,” said Joe Creed, Caterpillar’s Group President of Energy & Transportation. “We believe our teamwork will combine valuable expertise from our companies to deliver comprehensive customer solutions for the energy transition.”
(More Than) One Tree Planted
Separately, last week, Caterpillar’s philanthropic arm, the Caterpillar Foundation, pledged an investment of $1 million with reforestation non-profit One Tree Planted, to partner on tree planting engagements in 95 communities around the world, part of what Caterpillar termed its commitment to “natural infrastructure.” The organizations will work with community-based watershed and conservation organizations to plant some 290,000 trees, restore 620 acres, and sequester 7,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) annually.
On the Moove
In March, Certarus entered a five-year contract with RNG Moovers, a joint venture between baseload renewable energy provider Aria Energy and BP Products North America, to deliver renewable natural gas produced as biogas from several California dairy farms to gas pipeline injection points. When produced from agricultural sources, RNG is a carbon-negative fuel solution that can be utilized by transportation companies working to cut their carbon footprint.
