Why Renting A Biogas Flare Can Be A Smart Strategy

Most operators think of rental flares as a backup solution for their existing biogas flares. They consider renting a flare only if they risk non-compliance due to an outage.

However, rental flares have many use cases and can be a smart choice in a variety of situations.

Capital Budgets vs. Operating Budgets

A rental flare can be a great choice when your business needs to minimize capital spending.

A new flare is a capital expenditure. It has to clear approval, get depreciated over years, and compete against other capital projects on the list.

In contrast, a rental flare is an operating expense. It comes out of the budget you already control. A rental flare is typically deductible the year you spend renting it, and it doesn't require a capital request that might not clear until the next fiscal year or board cycle.

If your capital budget is already committed for the year, or if the project timeline is too short to justify a permanent asset, renting can be a savvy long-term or short-term solution.

Renting allows you to move forward based on your operational needs, not the schedule the capital approval process allows.

Renting While You Learn Your Real Flow Rate

Modeling and design data tell you what your system should flow. However, until you have actual numbers, it can be difficult to predict your exact flow rate. This is especially true in biogas applications like landfills, where gas production can vary over time and field conditions can differ from the assumptions made during initial design.

In these cases, rental equipment can provide valuable flexibility. Rather than committing to permanent equipment based solely on projected flow rates, operators can rent equipment to test how the system performs under actual operating conditions. Real-world data can then help inform long-term equipment selection, sizing, and system design.

For example, a landfill may have a projected gas flow rate based on historical data and engineering models, but actual flow can change as wells are added, gas production declines, or operating conditions change. A temporary rental system allows operators to capture performance data while maintaining the flexibility to adjust as those conditions evolve.

Renting can help you:

• Validate actual flow rates before making a permanent equipment investment
• Test equipment performance under real operating conditions
• Accommodate temporary increases or fluctuations in gas production
• Avoid oversizing equipment based on projections that may not reflect current conditions
• Gather the operational data needed to make more informed long-term decisions

When New Equipment Isn't Ready, a Rental Keeps You Running

When compliance is on the line, long lead times can become an issue if you need to install a new flare or prepare for a turnaround.

A rental gives your gas collection system somewhere to send methane, keeping you in compliance instead of venting while you wait on the permanent unit.

The same logic covers a flare that's already in the field. If your unit goes down for repair, parts, or an unexpected failure, a rental keeps methane destruction compliance intact until your system is back online.

Renting Doesn't Mean Giving Up the Option to Own

Renting and buying aren't always separate decisions. Parnel Biogas offers buy-now options on rental units, so if a rental flare turns out to be the right long-term fit for your site, you're not stuck starting a new procurement process from scratch. You already know the equipment works on your gas, at your flow rate, in your conditions, which makes it easier to buy with confidence.

Startup and Turnaround Season

Finally, if you have a startup or turnaround coming up and a permanent flare doesn't fit the timeline, the budget, or the data you still need, a rental can help you meet your project goals.

Parnel Biogas has flare systems ready to deploy now, backed by the same engineering and support behind every permanent system we build.

Request a Quote to talk through your timeline and find the right rental fit.

Parnel Biogas Inc. specializes in the design and manufacture of landfill gas flare and landfill gas-to-energy systems. Its flare systems are recognized as the “Best Demonstrated Technology for Destruction of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)” meeting the EPA 40 CFR 60.18. Parnel Biogas is committed to providing a prompt response and exceeding client expectations. Contact Parnel Biogas Inc. here.