Enertec Engineering
Enertec Engineering is an industry leader specialising in the design and delivery of complete heating systems. Located in Beamsville, Ontario, the mechanical engineering firm has been serving the agriculture and agri-food sector since 2003. Founded by mechanical engineer Kevin VanWingerden and agrologist John Lelie, the southwest Ontario-based pair were and continue to be well suited to provide solutions to the agriculture sector.
When the company started out, they primarily provided engineering solutions for greenhouses. Enertec Engineering naturally transitioned to the biogas space while working on the Seacliff greenhouse where they were invited to work on the Seacliff digester’s heat recovery gas piping. Since then they have worked on many of the larger biogas facilities in Ontario providing solutions such as designing start-up boilers, gas piping, heat exchangers, and connecting greenhouses and anaerobic digesters. While they are based primarily in Ontario, but they are certified to work across the country.
Enertec Engineering has a solid background in engineering services for energy and biogas projects and are recognized by Union Gas for energy consulting through their demand side management program. Additionally, Enertec Engineering co-founder and Managing Director Kevin VanWingerden was part of the biogas utilization code for CSA up until this year.
If digester owners are looking to expand or modify the digester, Enertec Engineering provides expertise with TSSA paperwork, mechanical design for heat recovery, gas design parts, pumps, valves, fittings and more. Their familiarity with agriculture and on-farm anaerobic digesters provides an advantage when evaluating standards requirements. VanWingerden adds that “Enertec Engineering is a solutions provider. Whatever your issue is, if it’s mechanical we can probably solve it. We’ve never had a problem we’ve had to turn away.” Their proficiency is a direct result of the strong team Enertec Engineering has assembled over the years drawing engineers from top universities in Ontario and internationally.
On the outlook for the industry VanWingerden comments that renewable natural gas (RNG) will be a gamechanger for business. “Once RNG can be injected into the pipeline, even up to a 5% blend is a large amount of gas that can be an outlet for biogas as opposed to having a FIT contract.” He adds that RNG is a new way of the future for natural gas in North America and it needs to be realized and capitalized on.
Enertec Engineering joined the Canadian Biogas Association as members one year ago to participate and connect with the industry. They find the biogas side of their business really interesting and they recognize the industry is going to change and evolve for the better and want to be a part of it.
