Lethbridge Biogas signs agreement to supply FortisBC
By Lethbridge Herald on August 21, 2021.
Lethbridge Biogas LP has signed an agreement with FortisBC to supply up to 350,000 gigajoules of renewable natural gas annually.
This will be FortisBC’s third source of RNG from outside B.C. as the company adds new volumes of renewable gases and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
The deal with the Lethbridge Biogas will supply enough energy to serve the needs of about 3,800 homes, says FortisBC in a press release.
“Greenhouse gases don’t recognize provincial borders, so our efforts to combat them shouldn’t be limited by geographical borders either. That’s why, while we continue to develop local sources of RNG, we’re also searching for opportunities to bring more RNG supply into our system from outside of the province,” explained David Bennett, director of renewable gas and low carbon fuels with FortisBC. “Not only are we continuing to increase the amount of RNG in our system, we’re now working with a fellow RNG forerunner in Lethbridge Biogas. It’s an exciting time for us.”
According to FortisBC, “When bacteria breaks down organic waste from sources such as landfill sites, agricultural waste and wastewater from treatment facilities, it produces a biogas mostly made of methane. FortisBC can capture and purify this biogas to create RNG, a carbon-neutral energy source, rather than releasing methane into the environment. As RNG mixes seamlessly into the existing natural gas infrastructure, it displaces equivalent volumes of conventional natural gas and lowers greenhouse gas emissions overall.”
According to Stephan Michalski, director of operations for Lethbridge Biogas, “RNG has become a highly sought-after commodity to reduce the carbon footprint in the natural gas supply chain. We are extremely thrilled about the opportunity to be part of FortisBC’s RNG supply system.
“This is a significant milestone for us, as we finally see full recognition for the value our facility provides in the context of environmental sustainability and greenhouse gas reductions. This allows us to expand on future feedstock opportunities and to offer reliable disposal options for organic waste in the region for decades to come.”
The Lethbridge company is a pioneer in biogas development and has operated its anaerobic digestion facility with a production capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year since late 2013.
In 2017, Lethbridge Biogas commissioned a thermal hydrolysis system, approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as a commercial application which provides unique disposal services for animal by-products including Specified Risk Material. From 2020 to 2021, Lethbridge Biogas added a biogas upgrading system to be able to produce RNG for grid injection. The facility is the largest agricultural based biogas facility in Western Canada and is unique in terms of design and scope all over North America.
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Yo Fortis: Nat Gas isn’t renewable.
In other words: Stop lying. You’re still adding carbon to the giant fart we’ve been releasing into the atmosphere.