A method for providing upgraded biogas includes feeding a stream of biogas into a biogas upgrading system in order to remove carbon dioxide from the stream of biogas. The biogas upgrading system, which may be based on absorption, adsorption, membrane permeation, and/or cryogenics, provides a stream of upgraded biogas and a tail gas stream. The tail gas stream, which may be CO.sub.2-rich, is enriched with natural gas so that it is combustible in medium-BTU equipment. The upgraded biogas is used for transportation use and/or the generation of fuel credits. Accordingly, both the tail gas and the upgraded biogas are used effectively and at lower cost.

A method for providing upgraded biogas includes feeding a stream of biogas into a biogas upgrading system in order to remove carbon dioxide from the stream of biogas. The biogas upgrading system, which may be based on absorption, adsorption, membrane permeation, and/or cryogenics, provides a stream of upgraded biogas and a tail gas stream. The tail gas stream, which may be CO.sub.2-rich, is enriched with natural gas so that it is combustible in medium-BTU equipment. The upgraded biogas is used for transportation use and/or the generation of fuel credits. Accordingly, both the tail gas and the upgraded biogas are used effectively and at lower cost.

A method for providing reward points to a cross border consumer is described. The method includes determining a primary transaction area of a consumer, identifying the consumer as a cross border consumer based on the transactions conducted outside the primary transaction area (foreign transaction), and identifying a foreign merchant associated with the foreign transactions.

A computer implemented method of operating a loyalty program using a computer system is provided. The method includes transmitting to communication devices associated with a corresponding plurality of consumers, who are members of the loyalty program, information describing at least one merchant, wherein the at least one merchant is a merchant that does not currently offer products in return for loyalty points of the loyalty program. The method further includes receiving, from the communication devices, selection data characterizing selections from among the at least one merchant. The method further includes collating the selection data to identify the at least one merchant, wherein the at least one merchant was selected by a number of the consumers that meets a criterion, the criterion indicating that the at least one merchant has been selected by a large number of the consumers.

The loyalty system allows a consumer to accumulate general loyalty points from one or more merchants, and convert any desired subset of general points to loyalty dollars associated with a specific merchant. The system stores, for each consumer, the merchant loyalty dollars (or monetary equivalent) by merchant within a remotely-accessible host database or within a smart card database. Upon conducting a purchase at a particular merchant, the consumer may utilize a code key to facilitate access to the consumer's own loyalty dollars for the particular merchant. The loyalty dollars are then applied to the purchase transaction as a discount or rebate. The consumer may also re-load the merchant loyalty dollar accounts.

A consumer who is a member of a computer-implemented loyalty program and who is associated with a first currency, is permitted to redeem loyalty points in exchange for a payment in a second currency which is different from the first currency. The payment may be made in the form of pre-paid physical or virtual payment card, or by a credit to an account held by a mobile wallet server. The consumer is sent information about products which the consumer can purchase using the second currency.

Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are contemplated by which the recycling program of a community can be improved. A consumer data set corresponding to the purchasing habits of a community is collected, along with a data set corresponding to the characteristics of waste materials collected from the individuals within the community. The community and individual waste material data sets are analyzed, and points of reduced recycling efficiency are determined for both the community as a whole and for the individuals within the community. These points of reduced efficiency are used to generate incentivization for the individuals, such as aspirational goals, monetary compensation, or promotional offer. The individuals have access to an account for monitoring their recycling statistics and to receive the incentivizations. The individuals may transmit to the database, via the online account, information on their waste materials, to improve the precision of the recycling program, or individual pickup requests.

A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. Reward points may also be redeemed in exchange for services, such as the playing of a video game or Internet access.

A system and method for a user to have a credit card, debit card, or stored value card that is linked to their reward points account in such a way as to permit them to pay for purchases with a merchant by using the card, wherein the merchant uses the existing credit card payment infrastructure as if payment were being made/authorized by a bank linked to the credit card or debit card account, but in fact the card is linked to the user's reward points account. In this manner, the user and merchant can use the reward points account to pay for purchases in a seamless manner whereby reward points are used for consideration rather than or as a supplement to cash and traditional credit.

Multiple different non-financial loyalty currencies held by different issuers are used by a consumer as financial tender for a transaction with a merchant. Each issuer pays to a primary issuer the financial currency value of the non-financial loyalty currencies being held in return for a corresponding reduction of the balance of non-financial loyalty currency. For each reduced balance, the primary issuer adds an equivalent primary loyalty currency to a primary loyalty account for the consumer. The primary issuer pays the merchant for the transaction in financial currency and makes an equivalent reduction in the balance of the primary loyalty currency. The financial value of each loyalty currency may be dependent upon its use in a transaction with a competitor of a merchant supplying loyalty currency to the consumer.