Mayor's Report - October 2011


FortisBC's Renewable Natural Gas Initiative

Mayor Ralph Drew

On October 24th Council received a presentation from FortisBC regarding its program promoting the use of renewable natural gas to residential communities such as Belcarra. During the coming year, Belcarra will be implementing an organic waste diversion program, and in addition to regional composting programs, it only makes sense to generate renewable energy from organic waste in the form of biogas.

What is renewable natural gas?
When bacteria break-down organic waste from sources such as landfill sites, agricultural waste and wastewater treatment facilities, they create biogas. FortisBC is capturing and purifying biogas to provide renewable natural gas
–– a locally produced, carbon-neutral energy source. A carbon-neutral source of energy, renewable natural gas displaces conventional natural gas and is a renewable fuel source. And because it is carbon neutral,
Fortis-BC subscribers get a 10% credit on the BC Carbon Tax.

What are the environmental benefits of renewable natural gas?
Made from an abundant renewable resource –– organic waste –– renewable natural gas has a number of environmental benefits that can help reduce our carbon footprint:

  • displaces the use of conventional natural gas with a renewable source of energy;
  • considered carbon-neutral because it is produced from organic waste;
  • captures methane that would otherwise escape into atmosphere, reducing equivalent carbon dioxide emissions by up to 21 times(1);
  • reduces the greenhouse gas emissions of a typical British Columbia home by about half a tonne per year(2), the equivalent of diverting 180 kg (400 lbs.) of waste from our landfills through recycling(3);
  • contributes to developing renewable and sustainable energy in BC; and
  • helps BC meet its greenhouse gas emission targets.
    • (1) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (2007), Table 2.14,
    available at: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch2s2-10-2.html#table-2-14.
    (2) Renewable natural gas displaces fossil fuel natural gas that has a carbon intensity of 50 kg / CO2e (equivalent carbon dioxide). Based on an average residential natural gas consumption of 95 GJ/year,
    10 per cent renewable natural gas = 9.5 GJ. –– 9.5 GJ x 0.05 = 0.475 tonne CO2 reduction.
    (3) Calculated using the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator at:
    http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html

    Renewable Natural Gas is a Carbon Neutral Product
    Canada's leading carbon management solutions provider, independently reviewed FortisBC's renewable natural gas offering. Offsetters assessed the expected lifecycle emissions savings of renewable natural gas and confirmed that renewable natural gas meets the requirements to be granted Offsetters' Carbon Neutral Product status in BC –– see: Offsetters' certification assessment of renewable natural gas.

    How to sign-up for renewable natural gas?
    The FortisBC on-line sign-up will get you started toward a more sustainable energy future. For about $4 more per month for an average home you can designate 10% of the natural gas you use as renewable natural gas. FortisBC will then inject the equivalent amount of renewable natural gas into Belcarra's natural gas distribution system, and that will help reduce our carbon footprint and support sustainable energy made here in BC.
    (For more information, see the FortisBC Frequently Asked Questions.)

    Put household organic waste to a good use and help Belcarra reduce its carbon footprint. Join with other Belcarra residents as a community to demonstrate sustainable practice by using renewable natural gas.

    RALPH DREW
    MAYOR

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