Énergir and Quebec City, united for waste recovery

Énergir and Québec, united for waste recovery

Ever heard of the Centre de biométhanisation de l’agglomération de Québec (CBAQ)? This new facility that opened in early 2024 is producing renewable natural gas (RNG) that’s injected into Énergir’s system under a 20-year agreement between Québec and the distributor.

What exactly is biomethanation?

Biomethanation is the process of converting table scraps, sludge from wastewater treatment or manure and slurry from livestock into biogas. These organic materials break down and produce biogas in huge tanks called biodigesters. This biogas is then purified into RNG and injected into the gas distribution system.

Everyone wins

The CBAQ is good news for everyone. Biomethanation has many benefits.

• By converting food waste and sludge from wastewater treatment into RNG, the City of Québec is maximizing methane emissions from organic waste.

• RNG production allows more Énergir customers to replace fossil energy with renewable energy, thereby contributing to Quebec’s energy transition.

• Digestate and liquid fertilizer—by-products of the biomethanation process—can be used as natural fertilizers for crop and animal farming, generating new organic materials in turn for further processing.

• By recovering methane emissions from organic matter, biomethanation not only promotes short circuits (less transport between each stage of the process), but also the circular economy.[1]

• Over the next 20 years, the CBAQ is expected to produce approximately 10.2 million m³ of RNG.

The energy of change

The creation of the CBAQ and the RNG injection agreement between the City of Québec and Énergir are part of a decarbonization process that is helping to drive Québec’s energy

[1] The circular economy aims to optimize the use of resources at all stages of the life cycle of a good or service, in a circular logic, while reducing the carbon footprint and contributing to the well-being of individuals and communities (Source: Pôle québécois de concertation sur l’économie circulaire).