Enbridge Inc., Walker Industries and Comcor Environmental have formed a partnership to jointly develop renewable natural gas projects across Canada. The partnership aims to transform landfill waste into carbon-neutral energy, which will be injected into local natural gas distribution networks across Canada, reducing the overall carbon emission of the gas supply used to heat homes, power businesses and fuel vehicle fleets.
The industry estimates over 33 petajoules of landfill derived renewable natural gas can be generated in Canada, potentially supplying energy to approximately 400,000 homes for a year. The partnership plans to take opportunity of this potential. The Niagara facility in Ontario, which is currently under development and is expected to be commissioned in 2022, is the partnership’s first landfill renewable natural gas project and several additional projects are in the works.
Canada has over 10,000 landfill sites, generating approximately 30 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually, accounting for 20 per cent of national methane emissions. Only one third of those landfill emissions are captured and utilized, and the rest are emitted directly to the atmosphere. Repurposing this underutilized resource has the potential to divert 20 megatonnes of CO2e, which is comparable with diverting 850 million trash bags of organic material from landfills per year.
“Renewable natural gas is a low-carbon fuel that will help us get to net zero,” said Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “Companies like Enbridge are working to lower emissions, create jobs and develop new opportunities to transform landfill waste into low-emitting energy.”
“RNG presents a tremendous opportunity to provide affordable, reliable and low-carbon fuel for Canada’s increasing energy needs, leveraging our existing energy system and stimulating economic growth,” said Cynthia Hansen, executive vice-president and president, gas distribution and storage, Enbridge. “For example, the Niagara facility project will generate enough clean energy to heat 8,750 homes and reduce GHG emissions by 48,000 tonnes per year. This is just one example of how Enbridge is connecting consumers to renewables sources of energy. Together we’re leading the way to a green energy future.”
