Pioneering Anaerobic Digestion Facility Sets New Standards

Pioneering Anaerobic Digestion Facility Sets New Standards in Organic Waste Management

By Greenlane Renewables

A groundbreaking anaerobic digestion facility in the province of Quebec is establishing itself as a landmark achievement in sustainable waste management and renewable energy production. This innovative facility tackles organic waste management challenges while generating valuable renewable natural gas (RNG) and fertilizer. The facility processes a mix of residential food waste, waste, municipal sewage sludge, and other sources through an advanced wet-phase, thermophilic anaerobic digestion process. What makes this facility genuinely distinctive is its comprehensive approach to anaerobic digestion. The process begins in hydrolyzers where bacteria break down waste materials over 3-4 days, producing fatty acids and alcohols essential for methane production.

This material then moves to digesters where different bacteria complete the transformation over approximately ten days, producing methane-rich biogas collected in a biogas gas holder.

The facility incorporates Greenlane Renewables’ Matai Water Wash upgrading technology to purify the biogas to approximately 98% purity, making it suitable for injection into the local gas distribution network—enough to heat close to 5,000 Canadian homes.

With two independent upgrading systems featuring a total inlet biogas flow rate capacity of 2556 Nm³/hr and outlet RNG capacity of 1446 Nm³/hr, the facility maintains continuous production even during maintenance periods.

The environmental benefits are substantial. The facility will process 182,000 tons of organic waste annually, generate 6.6 million to more than 10 million cubic meters of RNG, and produce approximately 73,000 tonnes of renewable fertilizer annually. These outputs will help avoid approximately 18,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions annually while supporting local environmental goals.

Beyond environmental advantages, the project delivers significant social and economic benefits. It encourages citizen participation in climate action, diverts organics being sent to landfills, and provides environmental education through an on-site interpretation center.

The sale of biomethane will generate revenue for the municipality, support local services and contribute to the region’s economic stability.

The successful implementation of Greenlane Renewables’ technology in this project demonstrates how specialized expertise in biogas upgrading can help create infrastructure projects with lasting environmental and community impact, supporting the transition toward more sustainable waste treatment methods and a circular economy.

For more information, read our Canadian Biogas Magazine.