New Omni Conversion Technologies CEO notes importance of methane reduction

Omni Conversion Technologies Inc., an Ottawa-based company whose proprietary technology enables the development of a circular economy turning waste into energy, has a new CEO and board members.

Jonathan Lundy has taken the reigns as CEO, noting world leaders and top climate scientists agree that net-zero emissions must be achieved by 2050.

“Our technology uniquely intersects these broad climate change goals and offers a “today” solution that will help the world actually get there,” he said.

Methane reduction and zero carbon fuels are the key drivers to meeting this objective in Canada and beyond, he added.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s August 2021 report highlights methane reduction as a critical path to net zero in 2050. Reducing municipal solid waste — and the methane it emits during decomposition — is critical to combating climate change. The OMNI200 eliminates this methane and produces green fuel, OmniSyngas, a carbon-negative substitute for fossil fuel, while also addressing the health and sanitation risks of waste.

“What makes Omni and its proprietary technology so exciting is that it tackles our most urgent environmental challenges: it creates carbon-negative fuels, and it reduces and prevents methane emissions by diverting waste from landfills,” Dr. Daniel Kammen, Omni CT board director and coordinating lead author for the IPCC, said. “Omni CT is poised to facilitate the mass changes required to tackle the climate crisis.”

OmniSyngas can produce clean green hydrogen, synthetic natural gas, or biofuels for the circular economy. For example, one tonne of municipal solid waste becomes more than 50 kilos of pure hydrogen, which has a negative carbon footprint and costs half as much to produce compared to hydrogen produced by electrolysis.

“The dramatic surge in the market for hydrogen and clean biofuels, coupled with the drive to net zero by companies of all stripes and their investors, is accelerating the market for Omni CT, which offers a complete conversion of waste to value,” board director Stephen Poloz of the global market opportunity for Omni CT, said.

The OMNI200 is being brought to market in California and neighbouring states by H Cycle LLC and has attracted demand from hydrogen and bio-fuels developers in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Further project announcements are expected in 2021.