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Interested presenters for 2023 Value of Biogas East Conference (April 25-26 in Toronto, ON) are invited to submit presentation abstracts. Please submit your abstract no later than Friday, February 17, 2023 by clicking here. A table of suggested topics is provided on the website, however, abstracts with a different focus will be considered. We will also accept proposals for panel discussions, workshops, or other innovative formats.

Énergir, a diversified energy business, and Nature Energy, a world leader in renewable energy, are joining forces to co-develop biomethanisation plants in Québec. This partnership is the result of the companies’ common desire to significantly increase the amount of RNG in the Québec natural gas distribution network and accelerate the pace of development of locally sourced renewable energy. Under the agreement, Énergir and Nature Energy will co-develop and implement up to ten projects, in Québec’s high agricultural density regions, producing up to 200 million m3 of RNG per year. The projects would supply one third of Québec’s 2030 RNG target, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 400,000 tonnes. This is comparable to taking nearly 100,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road.

The governments of Ontario and Canada are investing more than $11.3 million to expand CHAR Technologies’ facility in Thorold to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) and biocarbon – creating the largest facility of its kind in Canada, and the only RNG facility in the country to exclusively use woody biomass. Expanding CHAR’s Thorold facility will create close to 40 new direct and indirect jobs, as well as 20 construction jobs. CHAR Technologies has developed new technology to produce clean energy from woody biomass, including unused tree parts and mill by-products like bark, shavings and sawdust. Each year, the new facility will produce 10,000 tonnes of biocarbon as a coal fuel alternative for Ontario’s heavy industries, and enough renewable natural gas to heat over 5,500 homes.

Nominations for the 2023 Canadian Biogas Industry Awards are open until February 15, 2023. The Canadian Biogas Association launched the Canadian Biogas Industry Awards to recognize accomplishments of organizations and individuals in the biogas/RNG sector. The Awards showcase successful Canadian biogas and RNG projects and individual efforts providing well deserved recognition while demonstrating that biogas/RNG technology and its benefits are proven and reliable in many applications across the country.

On November 14th, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced that approximately 60 projects have been selected to receive funding under the Government of Canada’s $1.5-billion Clean Fuels Fund (CFF). These projects represent a first tranche of the highest-ranking applications from last year’s call for proposals and have a total combined value of more than $3.8 billion. They include production facilities, as well as feasibility and front-end engineering and design studies, spanning seven jurisdictions and covering five different fuel types. A second tranche of projects, from last year's call for proposal, is currently being reviewed, with funding decisions expected to be finalized in December.

On October 31, Enbridge Gas filed their 2024 Rebasing Application to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). In their application, Enbridge seeks approval to procure enough RNG to supply 1% of its Ontario customer demand in 2025 and gradually increase it to 4% by 2028. These purchases will likely be made on long-term contracts, five years or greater. Enbridge Gas is proposing low-carbon energy cost recovery through a Low-Carbon Voluntary Program (LCVP) for large volume sales service customers, to be offered on a long-term basis. Any costs not recovered through the LCVP will be included in the recovery of the cost of gas supply commodity purchases for at least the duration of the underpinning commodity contracts.