Vancouver, FortisBC ink deal to reclaim natural gas from landfill

A Metro Vancouver landfill could soon be the region’s next source of natural gas.

The City of Vancouver and FortisBC have been given the green light to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) at the city’s landfill in Delta.

FortisBC has the technology to capture and purify gas created by decomposing organic matter, which is made into RNG.

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The company then blends that product with traditional natural gas, a process it says lowers its overall carbon intensity.

The company currently has deals with five RNG suppliers, and operates two landfill purification facilities.

2:09 City of Vancouver removes some garbage cans

The City of Vancouver says the project is part of an agreement it signed with FortisBC in 2017 highlighting a range of activities they could work together on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It says in addition to being blended with traditional natural gas, the RNG can be used to power city vehicles and facilities.

The City of Vancouver has agreed to cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.

Construction is slated to begin on the new biogas plant in 2020, and take between 18 months and two years to build.