All our customers can now choose renewable natural gas in their purchasing profile.
What is renewable natural gas?
It is 100% renewable energy produced from organic waste. RNG replaces fossil fuel energy with renewable energy in the gas network to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targeted by the fight against climate change.
Renewable natural gas: a key part of the energy transition
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels
Renewable natural gas (RNG) reduces the greenhouse gas emissions targeted by the fight against climate change in two ways: by recovering the methane produced by the natural decomposition of organic matter, and by replacing fossil fuel with a renewable energy source.
Value-added organic waste
Turning your vegetable peels or other food waste into RNG is easier than you think! The methane emitted by the decomposition of organic matter can be recovered to produce renewable energy. The RNG production process also produces a fertilizer that can be used, under certain conditions, on flower beds and farmland.
Energy that can be locally produced
Did you know that your municipality can produce renewable natural gas using your organic waste? It is in fact a very effective solution for municipalities in managing their waste.
Organic waste that pays off
Waste with energy to spare: I’ll buy that! RNG production can be an opportunity for municipal governments, farmers and other types of businesses to turn their organic waste into new streams of revenue.
How is RNG purchased and distributed?
When you purchase renewable natural gas, you’re taking part in Quebec’s vast collective effort to reduce the GHG emissions targeted by the fight against climate change, by replacing fossil fuels with a renewable energy source. Find out what the RNG purchasing and distribution process looks like.
Shining the spotlight on some local producers
To meet the growing demand for renewable natural gas, Énergir is sourcing from North American producers, including a growing number in Quebec.
Saint-Hyacinthe
In operation since January 2018, Saint-Hyacinthe was the first city in Quebec to produce energy through biomethanation and move one step closer to energy self-sufficiency. The amount of RNG it produces is sufficient, among other things, to heat buildings and power city vehicles while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. It’s a great example of a community repurposing waste to produce renewable energy.
Coop Agri-Energy Warwick
Coop Agri-Énergie Warwick is the very first agricultural cooperative dedicated to renewable energy production in Quebec. It brings together a dozen agricultural producers from the Arthabaska RCM, which have been producing renewable natural gas from slurry and dairy cattle manure mixed with residual organic matter from local businesses since spring 2021. The biomethanation facilities were developed, built and are run by Coop Carbone, a non-profit solidarity cooperative working to develop cooperative agricultural biomethanation projects.
City of Québec
Since February 2024, the City of Québec has been injecting renewable natural gas into Énergir’s network. The Québec agglomeration biomethanation centre (CBAQ) treats up to 86,600 tonnes/year of food waste, as well as up to 96,000 tonnes/year of biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant.
Thinking of becoming a renewable natural gas producer?
We’ve put together an information guide (in French only) for those interested in renewable natural gas (RNG) projects.
Looking for a site suitable for renewable natural gas production?
We mapped Canada’s 2021 Census of Agriculture to help developers position their projects at the centre of organic deposits and close to our network.
Through a process of biomethanation, organic matter (food waste, slurry, manure, wastewater, etc.) is transformed into biogas, which once purified becomes renewable natural gas.
This product reduces the greenhouse gas emissions targeted in the fight against climate change in two ways: first, by replacing fossil energy with renewable energy, and second, by recovering the methane emissions associated with the disposal of organic waste at landfill sites.
Renewable natural gas is recognized by Natural Resources Canada as a renewable energy and clean fuel that will help Canada achieve its new net-zero emission targets. In addition, according to the Government of Québec’s Regulation respecting mandatory reporting of certain emissions of contaminants into the atmosphere, greenhouse gas emissions for RNG are very low and comparable to hydroelectricity emissions (0.30 kg CO2-eq/GJ for RNG vs. 0.44 kg CO2-eq/GJ for hydro).
Yes, if it’s produced from a renewable source. There are five main sources of renewable energy: the sun, wind, water, the earth (geothermal energy) and organic matter. Organic waste is used in the case of renewable natural gas (RNG). Things like table scraps, wastewater, manure and agricultural slurry all have very short renewal cycles.
Énergir is working hard to reduce the carbon footprint of the natural gas it distributes, and it believes that RNG is one of the ways to get there. Its aim is to have RNG represent 5% of the gas injected into its existing network by 2025, replacing traditional natural gas. The cities of Saint-Hyacinthe and Québec already have production projects underway. And the province has the potential to do so much more! This is why our teams are hard at work mobilizing all actors involved in developing these promising projects throughout Québec.
Our wish is to get the full value out of every item of food. However, we are aware that no matter how much we try to reduce food waste, certain organic materials such as pits, skins and peels will never be eaten. With RNG, we want to reuse the organic materials that end up in brown bins to give them a powerful second life.
Énergir firmly believes that making complementary use of a variety of energy sources is the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gases. As we always say, you need the right energy in the right place!
That’s why we’re using renewable natural gas to decarbonize energy uses that are difficult to electrify, including when a flame is needed in an industrial process, or to heat large buildings.
We've put together a best practice guide for anyone interested in renewable natural gas (RNG) projects.
- Project sponsors
- Manufacturers with organic materials
- Agricultural producers who wish to participate in or carry out an RNG project
Consult the guide (in french only)
Need more information?
Contact our team for answers.
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