[Ryan]

Social acceptability surrounding biogas is more critical than ever to ensure the long-term success of a project. To boil it down to two words, it would be education and engagement.

While in the development stages, projects need to engage with their future communities, explaining what biogas is and the community problem it is solving. Communities need to be made aware of the benefits facilities bring, and that any concerns (ex., odour or general safety) have clear solutions.

There is an understandable hesitancy to announce/discuss projects before permitting is completed; past that stage, communities have reported feeling that developers are informing them of a future project rather than asking them their thoughts. It is also important that engagement does not end at project completion. Beyond being responsive to potential complaints, facilities that have experienced the largest success have integrated into their communities, hosting recurring educational visits and attending community events.

I think it’s important to remember that people care deeply about where they live, and their communities, and they want to ensure the businesses that operate there are in the community’s best interest. AD creates more than just carbon-neutral (or negative) electricity or fuel. It solves waste management problems and efficiently recycles nutrients.

[Ryan]

BiogasWorld also prepared some resources for improving the social acceptability of biogas & RNG in Canada, available for free, right here on the Biogas Community, in both English and French.

[Ryan]

Despite some changes in the administration’s priorities, the market in the US continues to heat up 🔥

There are over 375 RNG facilities (counting cluster projects only once) with another 350 in various stages of development. The current growth rate is likely to remain consistent over the next few years, as projects that began development in the past few years continue to enter operation.

The industry has passed its tipping point, and while federal supports definitely fast-track industry growth, private, and public, entities recognize the potential of AD for waste management. States and municipalities are filling in the space left behind from federal incentives.

Given the changes to incentives and what appears to be renewed interest in biogas CHP, the pendulum seems to be moving back towards electricity projects.
I’m interested in seeing whether developers pursue CHP projects over the next few years.

[Ryan]

Reply by Dries Neirinck: Thanks to our HUBS on several strategic locations in Europe and our international waste department to cross borders with waste, there are no specific countries who are more in favor than other ones.

With activated carbon it is possible to reduce VOC’s and H2S to 0 ppm levels
Sustainable character of activated carbon is helping a lot. The saturated carbon can be reactivated in a sustainable way.
Limited required follow-up of mobile filters with activated carbon in the end. They are ready for use when they arrive and can be easily collected when they are saturized

[Ryan]

The energy crisis in Europe, as a result of the war in Ukraine, has had the EU considering all possible avenues for meeting its gas demands. The import of biomethane (RNG) serves to meet its low carbon gas goals, in addition to the bloc’s gas needs.

[Ryan]

There’s considerable variation between project costs, with many factors influencing the total CAPEX of a project. In addition, often low CAPEX technologies result in a higher OPEX, which requires it’s own considerations. In BiogasWorld’s report on best practices for reducing the costs of bigoas production, some costs are analysed for various projects: https://biogasworld-5799596.hs-sites.com/ad-costs-eccc

biogasworld-5799596.hs-sites.com

AD Costs Reports

Download the report prepared by BiogasWorld for ECCC on AD costs and the ways to reduce them.

[Ryan]

Biomass that is lignocellulosic (very fibrous) is still considered difficult to digest conventionally. Some facilities add some of these materials to a digester, but not as the primary feedstock. There are a number of companies/researchers developing processes for breaking down these materials, whether a pre-grinding step, or an additive to breakdown cell walls.
At the moment, the Canadian government promotes these efforts via grants for supporting R&D and ‘next generation’ feedstocks

[Ryan]

I think our first few big wins came this year with the new Federal Budget, the expansions to the CFR, Clean Fuel Fund, and Canada Infrastructure Bank. Some details will be expanded on in the fall economic statement, but the industry is definitely on the radar of Ottawa. The industry, and the CBA, continue to voice the request for a Federal ITC, however, we don’t have an answer for certain on this. My prediction is the fall economic statement will be a sort of litmus test for further support in the 2025 budget.

With regard to a change of government, among the changes a PC government might bring, it is uncertain whether biogas/RNG incentives might be targeted. The industry benefits from a wide reach of support, apart from just the renewable space, from waste management (and waste operators), to energy utilities, to farms and WWTPs. Governments in Canada, of any stripe, respond to these various interest groups. Perhaps this is my own optimism on the matter, but I don’t believe a federal change of government of any kind will negate the progress the industry has made over recent years.