As part of its endeavors to achieve its goals related to mitigating climate change and transitioning to a sustainable circular economy that enhances its global competitiveness, The City of Toronto recently announced, It is the capital of the province of Ontario in Canada, announces the establishment of the first facility for the production of “renewable natural gas” (RNG) from solid or biodegradable organic waste, As a first step to use it in the city’s gas supply network.
The production of renewable natural gas poses several challenges, Whatever the source of renewable gas, Whether from organic waste, landfills or other sources. The issue of the high cost of initial investments required by renewable gas production facilities often arises, In addition to the ongoing debate about the limited production of its production in sufficient quantities to completely dispense with natural gas. But the city of Toronto sees renewable natural gas as an opportunity to tackle climate change. Due to it being an effective alternative to natural gas. Where renewable natural gas has a chemical composition similar to natural gas, But at the same time, it causes low rates of climate-damaging greenhouse gas, They are much lower than those empowered by natural gas production. This is in addition to that natural gas, Other than renewable natural gas, It requires drilling operations that contribute significantly to environmental pollution.
That’s why Toronto’s City Council is turning to the production of renewable natural gas and using it to feed the city’s gas pipelines. This initiative comes as part of the city’s efforts to implement the strategy to address climate change, which stipulates the need to achieve zero levels of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Generate the equivalent of 1.5 million gigajoules of energy from organic gas processing by 2030.
Following the strategy endorsed by the Toronto City Council last year, The competent authorities will work on mixing the renewable natural gas that will be produced from organic waste with the natural gas currently used in the gas pipeline network in the city to supply fuel in its first phase trucks and other vehicles. In addition to heating government-owned utilities. It is estimated that through this process, Toronto will be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. The city council also expects the blending of renewable natural gas to contribute to long-term savings in government expenditures.
The municipality, in cooperation with Enbridge Gas, selected the technical specifications, designs and means of constructing the necessary infrastructure for the new project at the “Dufrin Solid Waste Management Facility”. It is the first facility of its kind in North America to produce renewable natural gas. However, the municipality intends to wait until 2022 to blend the renewable natural gas produced into the city’s gas network, when the production rate is stable at sufficient levels to achieve the project’s objectives. Until then, the renewable natural gas will be stored with special facilities within the grid.
The Toronto Plan doesn’t stop there, Four other potential locations have been identified next to the city, Such landfills and other sources of organic gas can be exploited to generate quantities of renewable natural gas that will meet the entire gas needs of the city, which amounts to 50 million cubic meters per year, Except for the needs of the city’s agencies which amount to an additional 60 million cubic meters per year.
As for the gas production process, Renewable natural gas will be produced through the processing of organic gas resulting from the heating and fermentation of biodegradable organic waste. Depending on biodegradation processes that occur naturally in the absence of oxygen, and then remove carbon dioxide and other impurities, To produce methane gas with a purity of more than 90% higher than natural gas. The facility is expected to produce 3.3 million cubic meters of renewable natural gas. When mixed with natural gas, it will constitute 7% of the gas in the city’s network.
One of the most important features of this process is the utilization of organic gas that is re-burned for disposal. This causes 9,000 tons of carbon to be released annually into the Earth’s atmosphere. While LNG used in trucks is 20% less harmful to the environment than diesel fuel, This is between 100 and 120% when comparing renewable natural gas to diesel. On the other hand, The production of renewable natural gas will avoid the city from dumping organic waste in landfills. Based on these estimates, Toronto City Council officials point out, These features and benefits make the process of investing in renewable natural gas economically, environmentally and socially feasible.
The future plans of the Toronto City Council include the preparation of a second facility for the production of renewable natural gas by the end of 2023. This is followed later by the preparation of two other facilities where landfills are used to produce gas. Limiting climate change and enhancing the city’s resilience are key areas Toronto’s focus on in its COVID-19 recovery plans and revitalizing the city’s economy. As Toronto aspires, It is the first financial center in Canada, This project will make it the first city to transition to a circular economy in the province of Ontario.
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