Enbridge and partners break ground on Ontario’s largest RNG plant

$42-million project in Niagara Falls will lower emissions, stimulate regional economic development

Enbridge has teamed up with Walker Industries and Comcor Environmental to build Ontario's largest renewable natural gas (RNG) plant in Niagara Falls. 

The $42 million clean energy project is expected to be operational by 2023.

RNG, sometimes called biogas, is generated by decomposing organic waste. The Niagara Falls plant will capture landfill gas, cleaning and transforming it into RNG that can be used interchangeably with conventional natural gas.  

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday with representatives from Enbridge, Walker Industries and Ontario’s provincial government.

The Niagara Falls plant is expected to generate enough green energy to heat 8,750 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 48,000 tonnes every year.  

Enbridge is also working to identify and develop new sources of RNG to add to our distribution system in Ontario and in 2021, will offer a Voluntary RNG Program to its utility customers. This clean fuel will be injected into the Enbridge Gas Inc. distribution system, reducing emissions by offsetting conventional gas usage. 

“Our new Voluntary RNG Program gives Enbridge Gas customers an easy and affordable way to help green their natural gas supply,” said Cynthia Hansen, Enbridge's Executive Vice President and President, Gas Distribution and Storage.   

The Niagara Falls project marks Enbridge’s third RNG partnership. We’ve also teamed up with the City of Hamilton to fuel its city buses and helped the City of Toronto reduce fuel costs by as much as 20% by fueling its fleet of 150 solid waste collection trucks. 

“Enbridge Gas is investing in clean energy solutions across multiple markets that improve energy efficiency and lower emissions as we transition to a clean energy future,” said Hansen. 

With regulatory support, some utilities across Canada have set ambitious RNG goals, targeting a 5% blend of RNG in all-natural gas streams by 2025 and 10% by 2030. This would result in a 14-megatonne reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, or the equivalency of taking 3.1 million cars off the road.  

Enbridge is considering additional investments in RNG projects throughout Canada to help meet these goals and further reduce its emissions.

(TOP PHOTO: From left to right: Comcor Environmental President Walter Graziani; Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks Jeff Yurek; Walker Industries Executive VP Michael Watt; Ontario Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker; Enbridge Executive Vice President and President of Gas Distribution and Storage Cynthia Hansen; and Walker Industries CEO Geordie Walker during Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony in Niagara Falls.)