Features
Landfill biogas proposal could comfortably heat 300 homes with renewable energy

SURREY, BC — Terasen Gas and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) are working together to explore biogas recovery from the regional landfill site in Salmon Arm. The project would involve capturing waste methane and upgrading it to pipeline-quality natural gas to be used to heat homes.
   
"We are keen on moving this project forward, with a goal to begin construction as early as next spring," said Doug Stout, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Terasen Gas. "Once operational, the upgrading facility would be the first of its kind in the province to utilize bio-methane directly in a natural gas pipeline, and we expect it to become a catalyst for future projects that increase the province's production of clean, renewable energy and help reduce emissions from waste methane."
   
The Salmon Arm biogas recovery project is one of nine proposals Terasen Gas announced this past spring in response to a call for expressions of interest in developing clean, renewable energy sources. The project will involve installing a small facility to recover the raw landfill gas produced by the degradation of municipal solid waste, upgrading the gas to pipeline quality bio-methane and then injecting it into the existing natural gas distribution system. The facility would produce approximately 26,000 gigajoules of natural gas per year, which is enough to heat and provide hot water to almost 300 homes, depending on consumption.
   
"The partnership model between the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and Terasen Gas will allow waste landfill gas to be utilized as a resource in Terasen's natural gas network, which will provide social and environmental benefits to the community of Salmon Arm and provide a model for other jurisdictions to consider. The CSRD is proud to be a part of British Columbia's first initiative in this regard," said Marty Bootsma, Chair of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board of Directors.
   
Terasen Gas and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District are also exploring the possibility of establishing a compressed natural gas fuelling station at the landfill. Local fleet vehicles, such as curbside solid waste collection trucks, buses or fleet passenger vehicles, could take advantage of the fuelling station.
   
"We are committed to exploring recovery projects such as this one, as they help Terasen Gas and potential suppliers of raw biogas, including wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and farms, develop future biogas upgrading projects that can provide British Columbians with a source of renewable alternative energy," said Stout.
   
A feasibility study will determine if the project can move forward and outline next steps, which would include negotiation of a definitive agreement for the project and an application for project approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
   
For more information, visit the Biogas production page on terasengas.com.

August 31, 2009  By Newswire