Tetra Tech has been sharing its engineering expertise with Canadians for more than 50 years. From major cities to remote villages, their work has involved everything from ports and harbours to public health and research facilities to waste management.
It was that work in waste that prompted the company to begin looking into biogas in the 1990s. Beginning with landfill gas capture systems, then anaerobic digestion and more recently moving into renewable natural gas means that Tetra Tech’s experience is hard to beat in Canada.
Sam Huang, Solid Waste Lead says, “Right now we’re working with a lot of municipalities who are interested in biogas and anaerobic digestion.” The company works with end users all over North America on projects ranging from food waste to mixed waste and composting. Their work also includes everything from feasibility studies to operational support.
“The number of projects that we work on sets us apart, but so does the experience working with all different types of waste,” says Vice President of Waste Peter Klaassen. “I don’t know if there are a lot of other companies that are as involved as we are.”
Approaching biogas from a practical perspective is also key, and Tetra Tech isn’t looking to simply check boxes to get the job done. How and where to add value for clients is always an important consideration. With more than 50 employees in Canada devoted to biogas, the company’s knowledge as a full-service engineering firm is nearly unmatched.
There’s no denying that biogas & RNG are helping to minimize carbon emissions. And Tetra Tech knows that there’s plenty of organic waste that could be put to use, both to save landfill space and create greener energy options. With pricing becoming more competitive and major utility companies really taking notice of RNG, “there’s an opportunity for exponential growth,” says Klaassen.
Interest from municipalities and how they deal with food and landfill waste is going to continue driving that growth. The ability of RNG to be easily utilized in existing infrastructure is also exciting for Tetra Tech, as compared to something like hydrogen.
By joining the Canadian Biogas Association, Tetra Tech is able to enjoy the collaboration with other like-minded organizations.
Says Huang, “The conferences, the webinars, learning about new technology and processes, they’re all good reasons to be a part of the Association.”