Hartland Landfill Producing Renewable Natural Gas for FortisBC

VICTORIA, B.C.—The Capital Regional District (CRD), working together with FortisBC Energy Inc. (FortisBC) and Waga Energy Canada, has started producing Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) at a new facility located at the Hartland Landfill. The Hartland Landfill RNG facility is Vancouver Island’s first RNG facility.

Originally announced in 2020, the nearly $32 million Hartland Renewable Natural Gas facility, utilizing Waga Energy’s WAGABOX® technology, is designed to produce a maximum of 360,000 gigajoules of RNG annually, reducing the capital region’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 475,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years, the equivalent of removing the total emissions from 105,000 homes in Canada over the facility lifetime. Landfill gas, released from decomposing waste, is captured and then injected into FortisBC's gas system. By turning landfill waste into a lower carbon energy source, this initiative not only supports the province's climate action goals but also demonstrates how a locally sourced product can help reduce reliance on conventional natural gas.

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The facility aligns with the CRD’s commitment to address climate change within their operations and across the region and is an example of how FortisBC is working with local governments to develop renewable and lower carbon gases. When RNG is added to North America’s gas system, it mixes with conventional natural gas. The more RNG is added to the gas system, the less conventional natural gas is needed, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Waga Energy will operate and maintain the facility on the CRD’s behalf for 25 years, while the CRD continues to be responsible for the ownership and operation of Hartland Landfill and the landfill’s gas collection system. FortisBC will pay a fixed price per gigajoule for the RNG and will be responsible for the costs associated with injecting the RNG into its gas distribution system. The new landfill gas upgrade facility will be fully self-funded through revenues from biogas sales.

FortisBC constructed an RNG interconnection station and a pipeline connecting the landfill to its existing gas system. Hartland Landfill, owned and operated by the CRD, serves over 460,000 people and generates approximately 10 percent of the GHG emissions in the region.

Quotes

CRD
"The Hartland Landfill Renewable Natural Gas facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By converting landfill waste into renewable natural gas, we are providing a lower carbon energy source and demonstrating the innovative solutions that are possible when we work together," said Barbara Desjardins, Chair of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. "The Capital Regional District is proud to lead by example in environmental stewardship, and this facility is a testament to our dedication to climate action."

FortisBC
"Through this collaboration, we are strengthening local partnerships and supporting British Columbia’s energy future,” said Joe Mazza, vice-president of energy supply and resource development at FortisBC. “By working with the Capital Regional District to harness the potential of RNG, we are investing in local energy solutions as we work to provide customers with reliable, affordable energy while also supporting regional economic growth."

Waga Energy
Julie Flynn, CEO of Waga Energy Canada, said: "This joint project with the Capital Regional District and FortisBC represents a major milestone in the fight against climate change and in advancing the energy transition. We’re delighted to be part of it by providing advanced lower carbon technology that serves the local community."

Learn More:

Visit Hartland Renewable Natural Gas Initiative to learn more about this initiative.

For more information on RNG, visit fortisbc.com/RNG.

For more information on Waga Energy technology, visit Renewable Natural Gas for all.

Backgrounder

Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane) is produced in a different manner than conventional natural gas. It is derived from biogas, which is produced from decomposing waste from landfills, agricultural waste and wastewater. The biogas is captured and cleaned to create RNG. When RNG is added to North America’s natural gas system, it mixes with conventional natural gas. This means FortisBC is unable to direct RNG to a specific customer. But the more RNG is added to the gas system, the less conventional natural gas is needed, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Landfill gas is a lower carbon energy source when compared to the lifecycle carbon intensity of conventional natural gas. The burner tip emission factor of FortisBC’s current Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane) portfolio is 0.27 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO2e/MJ). FortisBC’s current RNG portfolio lifecycle emissions for stationary combustion are -22 gCO2e/MJ. This is below B.C.’s lifecycle carbon intensity threshold of 30.8 gCO2e/MJ as set out in the 2024 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation amendments.

FortisBC uses the term renewable and lower carbon gas to refer collectively to the lower carbon gases or fuels that the utility can acquire under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Clean Energy) Regulation, which are: Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane), hydrogen, synthesis gas (from wood waste) and lignin. FortisBC’s renewable and lower carbon gas portfolio currently includes only Renewable Natural Gas. Other gases and fuels may be added to the program over time. Depending on their source, all of these gases have differing levels of lifecycle carbon intensity. However, all of these gases are lower carbon when compared to the lifecycle carbon intensity of conventional natural gas. The current burner tip emission factor of RNG is 0.27 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO2e/MJ) and the current renewable and lower carbon gas portfolio lifecycle emissions for stationary combustion are -22 gCO2e/MJ. This is below B.C.’s lifecycle carbon intensity threshold of 30.8 gCO2e/MJ as set out in the 2024 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation amendments.

Note: CRD uses the Natural Resources Canada calculator for GHG equivalencies, "Data and references for the National Energy Use Database (NEUD) energy consumption calculator," Government of Canada