A new natural gas line could connect Sioux Center to a source of locally-produced natural gas.
Several Sioux County dairies are working on a plan to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) with the construction of methane digesters. The company producing this natural gas, West Branch RNG, would like to connect it to Sioux Center’s natural gas distribution system to inject and sell the gas to Sioux Center.
“This is a great way for us to partner with the county and our ag community in locally-produced renewable natural gas,” said Assistant Utilities Manager Adam Fedders. “As energy independence becomes more important and we are thinking more about where our energy comes from, to have a renewable source locally-produced in Sioux County will be beneficial.”
In the proposed project, Sioux Center would construct the 8-mile natural gas line to connect the digester to the community’s system, and West Branch RNG would then pay for this connection. The proposed line would run from near the intersection of 7th St. and 13th Ave. NW (Grant Ave.) along Grant Ave. south to 470th St. near Maurice, at Hoogland Dairy. There would also be a proposed branch line to Maassen Dairy, which is east of Maurice.
Before injecting gas into the system, the natural gas would be scrubbed and monitored to ensure the quality meets the same standards of Northern Natural Gas, which currently transports natural gas to Sioux Center. West Branch RNG could supply up to 300 MMBtu of natural gas a day, which is roughly 1/3 of what Sioux Center uses on an average summer day. Winter usage is much higher.
The proposed project could be completed as soon as summer of 2023 and requires approvals from several entities including the Sioux County Supervisors and the Iowa Utilities Board.