The facility, located at Walker Industries’ site along the border of Niagara Falls and Thorold, will provide enough energy to power close to 9,000 homes. Pictured left to right: Enbridge’s Heidi Bredenholler-Prasad, Mayor of Thorold Terry Ugulini, Ontario Minister of Energy Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation and Park Andrea Khanjin, Walker President and CEO Geordie Walker, Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, and Mayor of Niagara Falls Jim Diodati. Photo credit: Twitter/Enbridge Gas
Walker Industries’ new Niagara Falls renewable gas (RNG) facility, the largest of its kind in Ontario, has entered its final stages of commissioning.
Once fully operational, the plant will capture and refine landfill gas into low-carbon RNG, or biogas, providing enough clean energy for more than 8,750 residential homes, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 48,000 tonnes over the course of a year.
Officials gathered to mark the occasion on Thursday last week.
“The project represents our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Geordie Walker, Walker President and CEO. “For the past 20 years, we have been harnessing landfill gas into energy and we are excited to provide a consistent source of clean natural gas that can heat homes and support industrial activity for many years to come.”
Originally announced in 2020, the facility is a $50 million partnership between Walker, Comcor Environmental Ltd., and Enbridge Gas Inc.
The Niagara location, according to Walker, has the necessary infrastructure to support the project over the decades to come, including a fully developed landfill gas capture and collection system and a direct connection to the Enbridge natural gas distribution system, which will be activated in the coming days.
“RNG presents a significant opportunity to provide affordable, reliable, and low-carbon fuel for Ontario’s increasing energy needs,” said Heidi Bredenholler-Prasad, Enbridge Gas Vice President of Engineering and Integrity. “The Niagara RNG facility celebrates a collaboration between industry leaders who have proven capacity and capability in energy and bio-gas utilization.”
The Niagara RNG project aligns with the Ontario government’s commitment to deliver innovative clean, affordable and renewable energy programs that reduce GHG emissions.
Both Ontario’s environment and energy minister praised the project in a news release.
“This project is a made-in-Ontario solution to reducing and converting landfill waste into affordable and reliable low-carbon energy. It’s a great example of how we’re using innovative solutions to diversify Ontario’s energy mix and support our energy transition, while fueling economic growth and building a cleaner, sustainable future for all Ontarians,” said Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy.
“The collaboration between Walker Industries, Enbridge and Comcor Environmental is a great example of partners working together to seize the economic opportunity of turning landfill gas from waste into a valuable resource. This project demonstrates how innovative solutions can drive positive change that creates jobs in Ontario, improves energy reliability and reduces greenhouse gas emissions for both our environment and future generations,” said Andrea Khanjin, Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Walker Industries, a fifth generation, family-owned company with more than 130 years in business, operates from its base in the Niagara region with facilities across Canada and the United States. Walker Employees more than 1,200 people in environmental waste management and recovery, renewable energy, paving and construction, aggregates, and emulsion chemistries.
