Canada’s Natural Gas May See Boost in Renewable Natural Gas Content

The natural gas delivered to Canadian homes, transportation markets, businesses, and industry will soon include more renewable energy thanks to a new national renewable natural gas (RNG) target announced by the Canadian Gas Association.

Canada’s natural gas utilities have set a target of 5 percent RNG-blended natural gas in the pipeline distribution system by 2025 and 10 percent by 2030.  Nationally, the increased RNG content would result in 14 megatons (MT) of greenhouse gas emission reductions per year by 2030. The increased use of RNG will significantly build on the environmental benefits of using natural gas as a transportation fuel.

“Canada’s natural gas delivery industry recognizes that increasing RNG content in the natural gas delivered to Canadian customers is a pathway towards meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO of the Canadian Gas Association.

In 2013, Canadian natural gas utilities leveraged the expertise of Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY who developed with industry the RNG Technology Roadmap for Canada.  The Roadmap has been an instrumental tool in assisting industry to better understand the market and technology needs required for Canada to realize its RNG potential.

In British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, natural gas distribution utilities are currently blending RNG into their gas pipeline systems.  By the end of 2017, 11 RNG projects in Canada will be online to supply the equivalent of more than 36 million gallons of renewable fuel for transportation markets.