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New resources to promote on-farm biogas opportunities

Mar 10, 2021 | 6:30 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — In an effort to increase sustainable agricultural development, the Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has announced funding of up to $116,800 for the Canadian Biogas Association (CBA).

With funding of up to $28,800 from the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, the CBA launched a campaign to increase farmer knowledge about biogas.

As part of the campaign, the CBA launched FarmingBiogas.ca, a new website with resources to help farmers evaluate the opportunities of biogas, including a self-assessment tool, answers to key questions, profiles of on-farm biogas plants in Canada and more. It also includes a checklist and links to biogas equipment suppliers and technical advisors, acting as a one-stop-shop to help farmers get started.

On-farm systems can capture biogas and purify to create renewable natural gas, which is fully interchangeable to replace conventional natural gas. In turn, it can help farmers cut greenhouse gas emissions, while providing sustainable sources of energy, which generate additional sources of income.

The Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program has also allocated $88,000 to the CBA to identify clusters of agricultural resources across Canada and assess the potential for renewable natural gas development by region. The resulting information will be used to create an information guide about new and emerging renewable natural gas opportunities and encourage collaborations for more sustainable energy systems in Canada.

According to Jennifer Green, Executive Director of the Canadian Biogas Association, there are already 61 farms and agri-food businesses across Canada successfully capturing biogas and turning it into a valuable clean energy resource.

“Studies show that there is the opportunity for much more. With the support of AAFC, we can accelerate further uptake of farm biogas projects and, in so doing, cut Canada’s carbon emissions and support our agricultural communities.”

The Canadian Biogas Association was established in 2008 as a not-for-profit, member-driven organization with a mission to advance the development of the biogas and renewable natural gas industry in Canada.

For those wanting more information about on-farm biogas development, there is virtual 2021 Value of Biogas Conference set to begin April 27, sponsored by the Canadian Biogas Association.