OTTAWA, March 15, 2017 /CNW/ - Investing in the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) from forest industry residue can diversify Canada's energy mix, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve industrial efficiency and create new economic opportunities for Canadian companies and good middle-class jobs that benefit rural communities.
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, today announced an $800,000 investment in G4 Insights Inc. for the development of technology to convert forestry waste into RNG that can be distributed through existing natural gas pipelines in Canada.
G4 Insights is partnering with the Canadian Gas Association members Enbridge Gas Distribution, FortisBC, Gaz Metro, Union Gas, utility host ATCO, the Natural Gas Innovation Fund, Alberta Innovates, and FPInnovations, who are contributing a combined $1.35 million towards this project.
Renewable natural gas produced from sustainably managed forest residue can emit up to 85 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fossil fuels. Forest residue, which includes all parts of the tree, can be converted into solid, liquid or gaseous biofuels such as RNG that can then be burned for energy or used as fuel substitutes for transportation or industrial processes.
G4 Insights will build a RNG demonstration plant and test it under operational conditions with a range of biomass types to generate relevant technical operating and economic data. The optimal site location has been chosen in Edmonton, Alberta to support all-season operation in outdoor conditions.
Today's announcement reaffirms the Government of Canada's commitment to preserving our natural environment and resources for future generations — to put in place real actions that will work toward Canada's climate goals.
Quotes
"Our Government values innovation and we are proud to support this renewable natural gas project. By investing in clean technology industries we can help them be more innovative, more competitive and more successful."
Jim Carr
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources
"The support from Natural Resources Canada for renewable natural gas is essential to creating a pathway to greenhouse gas reductions that are affordable, reliable and sustainable. This project will advance G4 technology toward commercialization through field trials of enhanced subsystems for robust continuous operation and grid injection."
Edson Ng
Principal, G4 Insights Inc.
"CGA and the natural gas delivery industry have made driving innovation a key focus for the last six years with initiatives and investments around the use of natural gas and natural gas delivery infrastructure. Improving the technology to convert biomass to RNG will support the industry's aspirational target of blending 10 percent RNG in the Canadian natural gas distribution system by 2030."
Timothy M. Egan
President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association
"The Natural Gas Innovation Fund is pleased to support the deployment of the G4 Insights technology in Alberta. Our funding for this project marks the first investment of our fund, and we are looking forward to partnering with NRCan and other energy stakeholders in Canada on projects like the one announced today to support innovation, ensure the availability of affordable energy for customers and reduce emissions."
John Adams
Managing Director, Natural Gas Innovation Fund
"Alberta Innovates and its subsidiary InnoTech Alberta are very pleased to support G4's technology demonstration to make renewable natural gas using Alberta biomass, and we recognize this as another important step in providing options to 'green' Alberta's energy grid."
Steve Price
Executive Director, Bioindustrial Innovation, Alberta Innovates
"ATCO is excited to host and sponsor G4 in Edmonton. RNG is a largely untapped renewable resource that Canadians can use to heat and power their homes and businesses using a carbon-neutral fuel. ATCO is supportive of RNG as a technology and is hopeful that their support will help accelerate the adoption of RNG in Alberta and commercialization of the G4 technology."
Dean Reeve
Sr. Vice President and General Manager, Gas Distribution
ATCO Pipelines & Liquids Global Business Unit
"This project demonstrates the importance of bringing together scientific expertise, industrial sector know-how and government support to solve the challenges of creating a clean tech economy. FPInnovations is proud to have provided facilities and technical support toward the development of G4 Insight's technology and looks forward to RNG becoming a viable renewable energy source in the future."
Pierre Lapointe
President and CEO of FPInnovations
Associated links:
G4 Insights Market Opportunity
NRCan Forest Bioenergy
Related Products
Backgrounder — G4 Alberta Renewable Natural Gas Demonstration Project
Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)
NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca
SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
Alexandre Deslongchamps, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 343-292-6837; Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100; Edson Ng, Principal,G4 Insights Inc., 604-451-9166
Share this article