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Canadian Cities of Toronto and Edmonton want to produce RNG & waste-to-energy
Here’s an overview of key biogas news.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
Vancouver Landfill now approved to produce Renewable Natural Gas
FortisBC and the City of Vancouver have received regulatory approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission to produce Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) at the City’s landfill in Delta. This project aligns with the City’s and FortisBC’s shared commitment to develop more renewable energy and support the broader greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals outlined in the province’s CleanBC strategy. “This new and substantial supply will bring us closer to our target of having 15 per cent of our gas supply be renewable by 2030―a key deliverable within our 30BY30 Target to reduce our customers’ greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030,” said Douglas Stout, vice-president of external relations and market development, FortisBC.
Read more on Vancouver’s website
ADBA submits proposals for growth of anaerobic digestion to Government ahead of the Budget
The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has written to Chancellor Sajid Javid ahead of the next Budget announcement, setting out the industry’s views on the policies needed to stimulate growth of the anaerobic digestion (AD) sector and fulfil its potential to reduce some of the hardest-to-decarbonise emissions. The UK needs to show leadership on ultra low carbon technologies as President of the 2020 UN Framework Convention for Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26). Anaerobic digestion (AD) is currently recognised for its role in generating green energy, but it also prevents methane emissions from organic wastes left to break down in landfill.
Read more on Renewable Energy Magazine
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
How your food scraps are going to fuel Toronto’s garbage trucks
Making sure food scraps end up in the compost and not the garbage just got more important as the City of Toronto is turning your organic waste into a gas that can be used to fuel trucks and even heat your home. Pulling into the Dufferin Solid Waste Management Facility near Dufferin Street and Finch Avenue West, it doesn’t fit the stereotype of a garbage dump. There’s no smell nor seagulls flying about. The property is divided into three enclosed areas, a spot each for garbage, compost and recycling. On the organic waste side, there are anaerobic digesters — large cylindrical machines that are the centre of the operation.
Waste-to-energy plant in Edmonton ‘could help slash emissions’
That’s the claim from engineering consultants Ramboll, who say the facility will displace the need for virgin fossil fuels such as gas and coal. A planned waste-to-energy plant in Edmonton could help slash emissions by 215,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That’s the claim from engineering consultants Ramboll, who say the facility will displace the need for virgin fossil fuels such as gas and coal and help avoid large amounts of waste being sent to landfill. The facility will replace an older incinerator in North London and is expected to generate up to 78MW of energy in the form of heat and power.
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
U.S. Gain Hires Jon Summersett to Lead Product Development
U.S. Gain, a leader in development, procurement and distribution of sustainable energy solutions for the transportation market, is pleased to welcome Jon Summersett as the new Director of Product Management. In his role, Jon will be tasked with identifying and developing new products and services to widen our alternative fuel portfolio, collaborating with strategic industry partners and fleets across market sectors to ensure our offering enables success of their sustainability goals. “I am excited to join U.S. Gain and begin work on the next generation of energy solutions,” says Summersett.
Greenfield Global takes next steps to expand production at its Varennes biorefinery following Draft Regulation on the Minimum Renewable Fuel Volumes in Quebec
Greenfield Global Inc., Canada’s largest ethanol producer and a world leader in high-purity specialty alcohols, welcomed the Government of Quebec’s pre-publication of draft regulations on the minimum volume of renewable fuel in gasoline and diesel fuel. Announced this week, the government’s proposal would set blending thresholds of 10% renewable fuel in gasoline and 2% in diesel fuel by 2021 and increase the thresholds to 15% in gasoline and 4% in diesel fuel, respectively, by 2025. Jean Roberge, EVP and Managing Director of Renewable Energy commented, “Greenfield applauds the Quebec Government for its ambitious targets and firm commitment to transition the province’s energy.
Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods Invest Half Billion Dollars to Become Largest Renewable Natural Gas Supplier in U.S.
Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) and Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced today the companies are doubling their investment in renewable natural gas (RNG) projects across the U.S. to $500 million through 2028. This additional investment will expand their Align Renewable Natural GasSM joint venture beyond its initial projects in North Carolina, Virginia and Utah, to pursue new projects across the country, including in Arizona and California. Dominion Energy and Smithfield Foods formed Align RNG in November 2018, committing $250 million over 10 years to capture methane from Smithfield’s company-owned and contract hog farms and convert it into clean RNG.
Biogest expands into the Greek biogas market
Biogest has signed a cooperation agreement with the Greek company Elakmon for further expansion of the company in a market with an attractive framework and a large availability of agro-industrial residues. Greece has a huge market potential for biogas. Currently the major part of the electricity produced in Greece comes from the use of coal, while renewable energy sources still play a minority role. Following the renewable energy targets established for 2020 by the EU members, Greece developed an ambitious energy strategy including attractive conditions for the development of biogas plants and has a big raw material potential.
Spain’s Enagas to set up renewable gas unit
Spain’s Enagas SA (BME:ENG) has given the go-ahead to the establishment of EnaGasRenovable, a subsidiary that will focus on renewable gas projects, such as biomethane and green hydrogen solutions. The energy company and gas grid operator said Tuesday the new unit will take on its renewable gas projects that are currently in development, such as Power to Green Hydrogen Mallorca, and other agreements with waste managers in a bid to promote biomethane and the circular economy. Existing gas infrastructure is technically equipped to transport and store renewable gas, Enagas noted.
RESEARCHES & STUDIES
Over 220 agri-led anaerobic digestors needed by 2030
Some 227 agri-led anaerobic digestor (AD) plants will be needed by 2030, if Gas Networks Ireland’s Vision 2050 plan is to be realised, a KPMG report has found. These plants would hoover up 4.8m tonnes of slurry and 5.8m of additional grass silage, annually. Vision 2050 reports that a decarbonised gas network can offset national emissions, including agriculture, by one third by 2050. It aims to replace 12% of current natural gas consumption with low-carbon, renewable gas, produced largely from agricultural waste and grass. “Ireland can save 2.6m tonnes of CO2 per annum, supporting our decarbonisation targets and creating over 3,000 jobs for rural Ireland by 2030,” PJ McCarthy chair of the Renewable Gas Forum Ireland has said.
Read more on Irish Farmers Journal
Renewable energy surpasses fossil fuels in the UK
This significant milestone confirms that since the Industrial Revolution began and the U.K.’s first power plant was established in 1882, zero-carbon energy has finally generated more clean terawatt hours. This is thanks to the decreasing cost of renewable energy, making alternative power sources a more feasible and desirable choice. Full decarbonization of the British electricity grid system now looks to be within reach. For centuries, coal was king for the British energy industry. According to Carbon Brief, coal stoked British lighting from the 1810s, and it powered British railroads and ships from the 1840s and British centralized electricity generators from the 1880s.