The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has conditionally approved a long-term renewable natural gas (RNG) procurement agreement involving Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane facility, Anew Climate LLC and Southwest Gas. The project, developed at a wastewater treatment facility, is set to become the first to supply biomethane under California’s Senate Bill 1440 (SB 1440), a regulatory framework designed to scale RNG production from diverted organic waste while leveraging existing water infrastructure.
The SoCal Biomethane facility, located at the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA), integrates wastewater treatment with organics processing. By co-digesting municipal wastewater and organic waste, it generates biogas that is upgraded to pipeline-quality RNG. With a capacity to process up to 104,000 tonnes of organic waste annually, the project highlights the growing role of wastewater infrastructure in renewable energy production and emissions reduction.
According to Anaergia, the facility could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 31,710 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. This aligns with California’s broader policy framework, including SB 1383, which targets significant reductions in organic waste disposal, and SB 1440, which requires utilities to procure increasing volumes of biomethane — equivalent to around 55 similar facilities by 2035.
“Anaergia is proud that our facility will be the first to supply SB 1440-qualified RNG in California,” said Assaf Onn, Chief Executive Officer of Anaergia. “This milestone demonstrates how existing wastewater infrastructure can be leveraged to rapidly scale RNG supply from organic waste as mandated by California laws SB 1383 and SB 1440.”
For the water and wastewater sector, the project underscores a shift toward resource recovery models, where wastewater treatment plants evolve into energy hubs. Darron Poulsen, General Manager of VVWRA, noted that such facilities are “uniquely positioned to turn organic waste into clean, renewable energy.”
The approval signals increasing regulatory support for projects that combine wastewater treatment, waste diversion and low-carbon energy generation — an integrated approach likely to shape future utility and infrastructure strategies worldwide.
