VICTORIA -- The Capital Regional District (CRD) and FortisBC are working together to transfer renewable natural gas (RNG) from the Hartland Landfill to FortisBC to add to the province’s natural gas supply.
The project will take RNG that is generated from decomposing organic waste at the landfill and blend it with natural gas from FortisBC’s networks.
Once underway, the new system is expected to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 264,000 tonnes over 25 years, or the equivalent of taking 2,240 cars off of roads for the next quarter century.
“Climate action and environmental stewardship are embedded in the CRD’s strategic priorities, committing the CRD to take a leadership role pursuing carbon neutrality,” said Colin Plant, CRD board chair.
“The GHG (greenhouse gas emissions) analysis clearly points to upgrading landfill gas to renewable natural gas as the best decision for the climate,” he said.
Under the proposed agreement, FortisBC will be able to purchase between 140,000 to 280,000 gigajoules of RNG per year from the landfill for 25 years.
In 2004, the CRD launched a gas-to-electricity plant at the Hartland Landfill, which now provides electricity to roughly 1,600 homes in the region.
However, current biogas volumes at the landfill exceed the 16-year-old plant’s maximum capacity.
As the plant reaches the end of its life, the CRD says it considered expanding the system’s gas-to-electricity capacity but decided that converting the RNG to natural gas would have a greater effect on reducing the island’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“Despite the COVID-19 public health emergency, we are no less driven to safely and affordably reduce GHG emissions,” said Doug Stout, vice-president of market development and external relations with FortisBC.
The CRD and FortisBC are now working together to submit a contract to the BC Utilities Commission for approval.
If approved, the upgraded facility could begin running in late 2021.
