SUEZ to build two biogas plants in Montreal
City aims to become a leader in biogas
SUEZ has been awarded a contract to design, build, operate and maintain an ‘organic waste treatment center’ in the City of Montreal. The new plant will convert organic material into biomethane, producing enough renewable gas to power around 3,600 households.
The anaerobic digester will be able to process 60,000 tons of organic material each year, recovered from 1.5 million inhabitants on the east side of Montreal Island. Scheduled to be up and running by 2022, the facility will be operated and maintained by SUEZ for a period of five years.
The plant has been commissioned as part of the City of Montreal’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Aside from delivering non-polluting, locally produced renewable energy, the development will significantly reduce ‘waste miles’, with organic material currently being taken to a facility around 50km (31 miles) northeast of Montreal.
This facility is the second organic waste treatment center planned by the City, to recover and divert its organic waste away from landfills by 2020. Earlier this year (April), SUEZ was selected to design, build and operate the city’s first organic waste treatment center, located in the Saint-Laurent borough.
“Our concern for the environment is a major reason why the City of Montreal wants to become a leader in the use of biogas. Biogas plants significantly curb the greenhouse effect by capturing this harmful gas and using it as fuel. Biogas generation helps cut reliance on the use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal,” said Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal. “Recovering household waste into new resources is as much an economic issue as an environmental one: it helps preserve natural resources, curb greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the volumes of waste stored.”
“Cities like Montreal are now playing a key role in the circular economy by creating local recovery cycles. SUEZ is proud to support the City of Montreal in its transition towards a new local, sustainable, and low-carbon energy model,” said Bertrand Camus, CEO of SUEZ.
