OAR 860-150-0010: Definitions

For purposes of this Division, except when a different scope is explicitly stated: (1) “Biogas” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (2) “Carbon intensity” or “CI” means the amount of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy of fuel expressed in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule (gCO2e/MJ). (3) “CFP Online System” has the meaning given that term in OAR 340-253-0040. (4) “DEQ” means the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. (5) “Environmental attributes” means any and all environmental claims, credits, benefits, emissions reductions, offsets, and allowances attributable to the production of renewable natural gas and its avoided emission of pollutants. The environmental attributes of renewable natural gas include, but are not limited to, the avoided greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transport, and combustion of a quantity of renewable natural gas compared with the same quantity of geologic natural gas. Environmental attributes do not include: (a) The renewable natural gas itself or the energy content of that gas; (b) Any tax credits associated with the construction or operation of the renewable natural gas production facility, and any other financial incentives in the form of credits, reductions, or allowances associated with the production of renewable natural gas that are applicable to a state, provincial, or federal income taxation obligation; (c) Fuel- or feedstock-related subsidies or “tipping fees” that may be paid to the seller to accept certain fuels, or local subsidies received by the renewable natural gas production facility for the destruction of particular pre-existing pollutants or the promotion of local environmental benefits; or (d) Emission reduction credits encumbered or used by the renewable natural gas production facility for compliance with local, state, provincial, or federal operating and/or air quality permits. (6) “General rate revision” has the meaning given that term in OAR 860-022-0017. (7) “Geologic natural gas” means any natural gas from geologic or non-renewable resources, whether extracted by conventional or unconventional means. (8) “Large natural gas utility” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (9) “M-RETS” means the regional renewable energy certificate system and trading mechanism known as the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System, Inc. (10) “Natural gas utility” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (11) “OR-GREET” has the meaning given that term in OAR 340-253-0040. (12) “Pathway” means a detailed description of all stages of renewable natural gas production and use for a source of RNG, including feedstock generation, production, cleaning or conditioning, transportation, distribution, and combustion of the renewable natural gas by the consumer. The fuel pathway is used to calculate the carbon intensity of each source of renewable natural gas. (13) “Production facility” means any facility at which biogas or hydrogen is produced, cleaned, conditioned, upgraded, purified, or processed to meet standards for injection to a natural gas common carrier pipeline as renewable natural gas. (14) “Qualified investment” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (15) “Renewable natural gas” or “RNG” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (16) Renewable thermal certificate” or “RTC” means a unique representation of the environmental attributes associated with the production, transport, and use of one dekatherm of renewable natural gas. (17) “Small natural gas utility” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.392. (18) “Target year” means a calendar year, beginning with the year 2020 through and including the year 2050, for which ORS 757.396 establishes portfolio targets for the percentage of gas purchased by a large natural gas utility for distribution to retail natural gas customers in Oregon that is renewable natural gas. (19) “Tier 1 calculator” or “Simplified calculator” has the meaning given that term in OAR 340-253-0040. (20) “Tier 2 calculator” has the meaning given that term in OAR 340-253-0040.