Become a Renewable Natural Gas supplier

We’re making a significant investment to expand our Renewable Natural Gas¹ (RNG) supply, looking for additional suppliers so we can share more of this low-carbon² energy with our 1.2 million natural gas customers across the province. Advancing RNG is among the many ways we’re transforming BC’s energy future and supporting the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030.

We're currently seeking new supply projects in BC and across Canada

We’re continuously looking to partner with more organizations and governments to increase our RNG supply. If you’re interested in working together to create renewable energy, contact us to start the conversation!

Note: As a regulated utility, FortisBC is required to submit potential projects to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for review. The BCUC reviews the projects to ensure they meet the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation.

Renewable portfolio allowance: RNG expansion

In July 2021, the province of BC amended the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation to increase of the production and use of renewable and low-carbon gas.³ This creates a greater opportunity to grow RNG supply in BC, helping to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Benefits for Renewable Natural Gas suppliers

With proven RNG expertise, FortisBC offers important benefits to RNG suppliers, including:

• Alternative revenue: selling RNG to FortisBC provides a long-term revenue stream. FortisBC pays competitive rates to our suppliers. We use a financial model which considers the capital and operating costs associated with RNG upgrading and interconnection equipment, helping suppliers achieve a reasonable rate of return.
• Partner stability: we’ve owned and operated natural gas infrastructure in BC for more than 60 years. RNG purchase agreements with our suppliers are typically between 10 and 20 years in length. We operate with transparency, receiving oversight from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC).
• RNG expertise: having worked with RNG suppliers for more than a decade, our team has considerable experience and expertise in RNG processing and delivery. We currently work with RNG supply projects, successfully operating two of our own RNG purification facilities.
• Established market: FortisBC has a growing RNG customer base wanting a low-carbon energy to help them meet their long-term sustainability goals. There are more than 10,000 homes and businesses subscribed to the RNG program.

How we evaluate projects

We’re committed to developing projects that meet our customers’ needs. Each project must meet certain requirements, including:

• Economics: we evaluate potential projects using a financial model that takes into account all of the costs associated with producing a high-quality, safe biomethane for consumers. This includes costs for equipment, operation, maintenance, use of existing FortisBC infrastructure and the price of either biogas or biomethane. Once calculated, the full cost of delivered biomethane must be below a pre-determined threshold.
• Proposed technology: we have a responsibility to provide our customers with a safe, affordable and reliable energy supply. We use proven biogas purification equipment to ensure the biomethane meets the same quality standards as the conventional natural gas we deliver to our customers.
• Supplier stability: our biogas project suppliers must make long-term commitments to ensure a reliable supply of RNG.
• Regulatory approval: as a regulated utility, FortisBC is required to submit potential projects to the BCUC for review. Unless noted specifically, all projects must meet the requirements of the BCUC.

Renewable Natural Gas resources

The Canadian Biogas Association is the collective voice of biogas industry and it provides valuable resources for the exploration of new developments and new markets for RNG.

• Farms: refer to Developers Guides.
• Municipalities: refer to Closing the Loop and read about the City of Surrey Biofuel project.
  

¹Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane) is produced in a different manner than conventional natural gas. It is derived from biogas, which is produced from decomposing organic waste from landfills, agricultural waste and wastewater from treatment facilities. The biogas is captured and cleaned to create RNG. When RNG is added to North America’s natural gas system, it mixes with conventional natural gas. This means we’re unable to direct RNG to a specific customer. But the more RNG is added to the gas system, the less conventional natural gas is needed, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels and overall greenhouse gas emissions.

²When compared to the lifecycle carbon intensity of conventional natural gas. The burner tip emission factor of FortisBC’s current Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane) portfolio is 0.27 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO₂e/MJ). FortisBC’s current RNG portfolio lifecycle emissions for stationary combustion are -22 gCO₂e/MJ. This is below B.C.’s low carbon threshold for lifecycle carbon intensity of 30.8 gCO₂e/MJ as set out in the 2024 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation amendments.

³FortisBC uses the term renewable and low-carbon gas to refer collectively to the low-carbon gases or fuels that the utility can acquire under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Clean Energy) Regulation, which are: Renewable Natural Gas (also called RNG or biomethane), hydrogen, synthesis gas (from wood waste) and lignin. FortisBC’s renewable and low-carbon gas portfolio currently includes only Renewable Natural Gas. Other gases and fuels may be added to the program over time. Depending on their source, all of these gases have differing levels of lifecycle carbon intensity. However, all of these gases are low carbon when compared to the lifecycle carbon intensity of conventional natural gas. The current burner tip emission factor of RNG is 0.27 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO₂e/MJ) and the current renewable and low-carbon gas portfolio lifecycle emissions for stationary combustion are -22 gCO₂e/MJ. This is below B.C.’s low carbon threshold for lifecycle carbon intensity of 30.8 gCO₂e/MJ as set out in the 2024 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Regulation amendments.