Landfill gas conversion will reduce pollution, make money, city says

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This article was published 05/02/2024 (614 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A long-awaited city agreement to convert potent landfill gases into renewable energy, with a goal to raise millions of dollars by selling it off, appears on track to begin in about two years.

In March 2022, city council directed staff to negotiate a contract with Integrated Gas Recovery Services, which would see Winnipeg become a “raw resource landfill gas supplier.”

This would replace the city’s current practice of flaring — burning as it’s released — up to 85 per cent of the methane produced at Brady Road landfill, a process that converts it into less-harmful carbon dioxide.

“You’re basically reducing the province’s requirement to purchase fossil-fuel gas (with the conversion).… (And) methane is extremely harmful for the environment. So, basically, what we’re doing here is we’re taking that methane and we’re turning it into renewable fuel,” Michael Gordichuk, the city’s manager of solid waste services, told council’s water and waste committee Monday.

Gordichuk estimated such a system should be ready for use in the relatively near future, as long as provincial approval is granted to change the existing flaring deal and council approves the final contract.

If all goes as planned, methane produced at the landfill by waste decomposition would be converted to create a new energy source. That can provide fuel without the emissions needed to extract new supplies of natural gas.

“We’re still looking at a timeline of potentially putting (renewable natural gas) into the pipeline in 2026,” Gordichuk said.

In 2022, the city estimated it could earn about $10.5 million over 20 years by selling the gas on the open market. Integrated Gas Recovery Services would be expected to cover the $22-million capital cost for the project, along with $2.5 million per year in operating costs.

Coun. Brian Mayes, chairman of the water and waste committee, hopes final contract terms with updated price estimates will be ready for council to consider within the next few months.

Mayes (St. Vital) said the project offers a relatively quick and affordable option for the city to reduce its pollution.

“The technology is known, the business partner is known … Here’s something we can do about greenhouse gasses, climate change. We should be able to do this,” said Mayes.

Gordichuk said Manitoba’s environment minister still needs to sign off on the proposal, though meetings with the province are frequent and appear to be going well.

The city initially expected to distribute converted landfill gas through the Centra Gas Manitoba network. However, it has since learned Manitoba Hydro (which owns Centra Gas) believes the program doesn’t match its mandate, said Gordichuk.

The city now plans to use the TransCanada pipeline instead, which he said conveniently runs through the Brady Road landfill.

“It is a much larger pipe so it requires more engineering.… But it is a much more desirable location for us to interject,” said Gordichuk.

He said gas would still be used throughout the Winnipeg and Manitoba markets, noting the University of Manitoba may be among the customers.

Meanwhile, the committee also approved a request to hike the budget for the first phase of work on the North End sewage treatment plant upgrade by $44.5 million, pending council approval. The added cost is linked to a pipe failure that caused damage to the construction site and delayed the project.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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