Waga Energy, the European leader in landfill gas-to- renewable natural gas (RNG) technology, has been enlisted by The Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board (RGMRM) to deploy its innovative gas upgrading solution at the Saint-Étienne-des-Grès landfill, in Quebec. The green gas produced will be purchased by Énergir, the largest gas distribution company in the province, and injected into its gas grid onsite. This landfill gas-to-RNG project will be the first in Canada to use the WAGABOX® technology, developed by Waga Energy to recover landfill gas in the form of RNG, also known as biomethane.
Under the agreement signed in March, Waga Energy will buy the landfill gas from RGMRM for a period of at least 20 years. It will then be transformed into grid-compliant RNG by a WAGABOX® gas treatment unit built onsite. Waga Energy will generate income by selling its RNG production to Énergir. Until now, the landfill gas at Saint-Étienne-des-Grès was captured and burned in a flare.
Designed to process 3,400 cubic meters of biogas per hour (2,000 scfm), the WAGABOX® unit in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès will produce 468,000 GJ* of renewable gas per year, corresponding to the annual consumption of 8,000 local households. The WAGABOX® unit will be built in Shawinigan by a local company under the supervision of Waga Energy’s Canadian subsidiary, except for the cryogenic distillation module which will be imported from France. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2022.
Mathieu Lefebvre, president and co-founder of Waga Energy, declared: “Thanks to the WAGABOX® solution, hundreds of landfill sites across the United States and Canada will be able to produce renewable natural gas, contribute to the energy transition, and generate a new revenue stream, without the need for investment, and free from additional operating constraints.”
The project carried out jointly by RGMRM and Waga Energy will improve the environmental record of Mauricie and will contribute to Quebec’s energy transition. It will prevent the release of 23,000 tons of CO2 per year into the atmosphere by substituting renewable gas for fossil natural gas.
Michel Angers, President of RGMRM, said: “This contract is the result of an initiative undertaken several months ago to identify the best technology to enable us to use our landfill gas to its full potential. Thanks to the WAGABOX® technology, treating our gas is no longer an expense, it is a new income stream, and more importantly, it is yet another step towards a more sustainable approach to landfill management. The project fits perfectly with the government’s greenhouse gas reduction objectives and we are proud to contribute to Quebec’s energy transition.”
Renault Lortie, Vice-President, Customers and Gas Supply, at Énergir, concluded: “The development of the green gas industry in Quebec is one of the cornerstones of our efforts to decarbonize our economy. Énergir aims to inject an ever-increasing amount of renewable gas into its network, corresponding to a volume of at least 10% that of the annual volume it distributes by 2030. This fantastic project brings us a step closer to this objective, demonstrates the value of smart circular economy, and allows more and more of our customers to benefit from clean and local energy”.
About WAGABOX®: a breakthrough technology for the recovery of landfill biogas
WAGABOX® is a breakthrough technology for the recovery of landfill gas in the form of RNG injected into gas grids. This innovative technology is the result of 10 years of research & development and benefitted from the active support of French industry giant Air Liquide. Combining membrane filtration and cryogenic distillation, it guarantees a higher energy yield than solutions based on electricity production, and optimum use of the resource, without operational constraints for the landfill operator.
About Waga Energy
Waga Energy is an innovative French company committed to the fight against climate change. Created in 2015 in the Grenoble region, it is rolling out a unique purification technology which combines membrane filtration and cryogenic distillation, to recover landfill gas in the form of biomethane. Waga Energy finances, builds and operates its purification units, called WAGABOX®, as part of long-term partnerships with landfill operators, and generates income through the sale of biomethane.
About the Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board
Created in 1991, the Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board is a municipal body bringing together the MRC des Chenaux, Maskinongé and Mékinac, as well as the cities of Shawinigan and Trois-Rivières. The Régie, which ensures the overall management of residual materials in the Mauricie region, has a vision: to enhance and transform the resources entrusted to it, thus helping to preserve the quality of life for future generations.
About Énergir
With more than $8 billion in assets, Énergir, L.P. is a diversified energy company whose mission is to find increasingly sustainable ways to meet the energy needs of its 530,000 customers and the communities it serves. It is the leading natural gas distribution company in Québec, where it also produces electricity from wind power through its subsidiaries. In the United States, the company operates through its subsidiaries where it produces electricity from hydraulic, wind and solar sources, while serving as the leading electricity distributor and the sole natural gas distributor in Vermont. Énergir L.P. values energy efficiency and invests both resources and efforts in innovative energy projects, such as renewable natural gas and liquefied and compressed natural gas. It also offers a variety of energy services through its subsidiaries. Énergir L.P. aspires to become the partner of choice for those striving toward a better energy future.
