Recycled natural gas and renewable natural gas (RNG): what it is, where it comes from, and what it means for Georgia customers.
Recycled natural gas — more commonly called renewable natural gas, or RNG — is pipeline-quality methane captured from decomposing organic material rather than extracted from a geological formation. Chemically it is the same fuel. The difference is where the carbon came from.
Organic matter breaking down without oxygen produces biogas, roughly half methane and half carbon dioxide with trace contaminants. Clean that up to pipeline specification and you have RNG. The main sources are:
The carbon in RNG was recently in the atmosphere, absorbed by plants that became waste — unlike fossil gas, which releases carbon stored underground for millions of years. There is a second effect that is arguably larger: methane escaping from a landfill or manure lagoon is a potent greenhouse gas in its own right. Capturing it and burning it converts that methane to carbon dioxide, which is substantially less warming. Some RNG projects are assessed as carbon-negative on that basis.
Practically, nothing changes. RNG meets the same pipeline specification as conventional gas, so it blends into the same distribution system and burns identically in your furnace, water heater and range. No appliance modification is needed and you would not be able to tell the difference. See how gas appliances work.
Because it is blended, no individual household receives only RNG. Participation works through accounting — a marketer buys RNG or environmental attributes on your behalf and delivers it into the system, in much the same way renewable electricity programs work.
Some Georgia marketers offer a green or carbon-offset option, either sourcing RNG or buying offsets. These usually carry a small premium per therm or a flat monthly adder. If this matters to you, ask two questions before signing: is the program buying actual renewable gas or purchasing offsets, and is it independently verified? Both are legitimate, but they are not the same product.
Current plans and any green options are listed when you compare Georgia natural gas rates, and on marketer pages such as Georgia Natural Gas and Constellation.
RNG supply is constrained by how much organic waste exists, and realistic estimates put potential production well below total natural gas demand. It is a meaningful contribution, not a replacement. Collection and cleanup also cost more than conventional extraction, so RNG is more expensive per therm. Expect it as a blended component and a premium option rather than the default product.
Efficiency reduces emissions regardless of fuel source — often more cheaply than switching product. See energy conservation tips, what is cogeneration for another efficiency approach, and gas vs electric for the broader fuel comparison.