A step closer to carbon-neutral with Vancouver Island’s first renewable natural gas facility
At a glance
GHD supported the Capital Regional District (CRD) in replacing Hartland Landfill’s aging biogas plant with a new renewable natural gas (RNG) facility. The project reduces emissions by 475,000 tonnes over 25 years, integrates with FortisBC’s gas system, and exemplifies circular economy principles through self-funded, carbon-neutral energy production for the community.
The challenge
Hartland Landfill's biogas to electricity plant was nearing the end of its life and the CRD wanted to continue to utilize the biogas released from decomposing organic waste in the landfill. Therefore, it was decided that decommissioning the plant and building a new RNG facility at the landfill would be the most effective and beneficial use of the resources.
The landfill serves more than 460,000 people and receives about 180,000 tonnes of solid waste annually. The new facility captures gas from landfill waste and upgrades it to RNG. RNG produced by the facility is injected into FortisBC’s existing gas system, thereby reducing Fortis’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Our response
As owner’s engineer, our team advised and collaborated on an alternative two-step design, build, operate and maintenance (DBOM) delivery of the RNG facility project. GHD helped develop the performance-based design basis, completed technology evaluations and supported procurement of the DBOM team. We also supported the CRD with contract administration through the design, construction, commissioning and now support them into operations of the new RNG facility.
The impact
The new RNG facility will reduce the capital region’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 475,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years, the equivalent of removing the total emissions from 105,000 Canadian homes over the project’s lifetime.
The facility will handle the increased landfill gas produced at the landfill and convert it into carbon-neutral energy for the community. The new facility will be fully self-funded through revenues from RNG sales, a clear demonstration of a circular economy.