Renewable Natural Gas

Renewable natural gas has the potential to become a significant part of the Canadian energy mix as a new source for natural gas. Renewable natural gas (i.e. gas from waste) can be produced through a combination of commercially available technologies -- anaerobic digestion and gasification (followed by methanation). 

Renewable natural gas - ARC leads the way

ARC's renewable natural gas program builds on its historic strengths in waste and resource management and gas treatment and gas separation technologies.  We are working with the Canadian Gas Association on a joint study to identify the national technical potential for renewable natural gas from waste. Details on sources of waste according to province and territory are part of the data analysis. The study includes a review of technologies available for harnessing and cleaning gas from waste to pipeline quality. In addition, the study estimates greenhouse gas reduction benefits of converting waste to gas including subset estimates of the technical potential to determine economic feasibility. 

Improving economics around energy supplies

The potential for renewable natural gas production from gasification is almost six times more than from anaerobic digestion (biogas). To qualify as a renewable natural gas, biogas produced through anaerobic digestion and syngas produced through gasification must undergo further treatments. These treatments include cleaning biogas and syngas of sulphur, hydrocarbon, volatile organic carbon (VOC), particulate and siloxane contaminants, followed by separation of a carbon dioxide stream.   The end result of these treatments is the production of two commercially saleable commodities - pipeline grade renewable natural gas and commercial grade carbon dioxide.

Benefits of renewable natural gas

Renewable natural gas turns a costly problem of managing waste lagoons and landfills into an affordable solution that is good for the environment. Instead of emitting methane into the atmosphere, methane is turned into renewable natural gas — a usable source of energy. Renewable natural gas provides an alternate option to using fossil fuels, and is easily transported through existing natural gas pipelines, eliminating the need for investing in new infrastructures.

Renewable natural gas augments existing energy supplies, thereby creating a stable source of energy. With local waste sources readily available, rural communities also benefit from increased economic development.

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)

has the potential to become a significant part of Canada's renewable energy mix as a new source for natural gas.