Waste Connections of Canada, Enbridge proposing $50M waste-to-RNG plant

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Ontario reach its climate change goals, including the province’s plan to phase out emissions from landfills by 2030, Waste Connections of Canada (Waste Connections) with the support of Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas), is proposing to build a brand new renewable natural gas (RNG) facility at the Waste Connections Ridge Landfill in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ont. The renewable natural gas will then flow through new and existing Enbridge Gas infrastructure to transport to market.

Waste Connections of Canada will invest over $50 million to develop the proposed Ridge RNG facility. The facility will capture landfill gas generated by decomposing waste and transform it into low carbon renewable natural gas. From there, the RNG created will be injected into Enbridge Gas’ local natural gas distribution system that supplies gas to homes and businesses. The project is expected to reduce an excess of 110,000 tonnes of GHG emissions annually. This is enough green energy to heat over 18,000 Ontario homes every year—or about 40 per cent of the homes in Chatham-Kent.

This significant investment will support Ontario’s economic recovery and unlock the potential for local clean energy production when it is needed most. Enbridge Gas’ experienced pipeline contractors will use many local resources to build the facility and related pipeline. It is estimated that the RNG facility would create close to 50 development and construction jobs as well as several highly skilled permanent operational jobs

The proposed project includes construction at the Waste Connections Ridge Landfill of a new landfill gas recovery and upgrading facility and an RNG injection station. A new four-inch diameter, 5.7 km pipeline will also be put in place that will run from Enbridge Gas’ Chatham East Line at Blenheim North Station to the new injection station located at the Waste Connections Ridge Landfill. The Ridge RNG facility will be comprised of an upgrading and compression system to convert landfill gas to high-quality renewable natural gas.

This state-of-the-art project will transform Waste Connections Ridge Landfill waste into low-carbon energy, which will be injected into the local natural gas distribution system. Using renewable natural gas as a low-carbon energy source to heat homes, power businesses and fuel vehicle fleets effectively helps companies and communities achieve Ontario’s GHG reduction goal.

“Waste Connections’ commitment to sustainability through significant investment in facilities like this enables the company to provide consumers with a reliable source of renewable natural gas. Waste Connections operates eight of these RNG facilities including one of the largest in North America. We’re proud to reduce emissions an excess of 110,000 tonnes of GHG per year in the municipality of Chatham-Kent,” said Dan Pio, president, Waste Connections of Canada.

If approved by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), construction could begin in the spring of 2023 and be complete by the end of 2023.