Once I sign up for RNG, how is it delivered to my home?
North America’s natural gas systems are all interconnected, so when RNG is injected into the system, it mixes with conventional natural gas. This means that RNG cannot be directed to a specific location.
But when you sign up for the program, there is RNG in the system with your name on it (figuratively) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions caused by the displacement of conventional natural gas exist because of your support. And the more RNG that is added to the system, the less conventional natural gas we’ll use overall.
1Renewable Natural Gas is produced in a different manner than conventional natural gas. It’s 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 Renewable Natural Gas (also called biomethane)
2FortisBC 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 (RNG or biomethane), hydrogen, synthesis gas (from wood waste) and lignin. FortisBC’s RNG 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 carbon intensity of RNG is 0.29gCO2e/MJ and the current RNG portfolio lifecycle emissions are -22gCO2e/MJ. This is below B.C.’s carbon intensity threshold for low-carbon gases of 36.4 gCO2e/MJ set out in the 2021 B.C. Hydrogen Strategy.