Andion partners with Semiahmoo on RNG project

Andion, a leader in organic waste-to-renewable natural gas (RNG) with a mission to fuel a net-zero future, says that the Semiahmoo First Nation RNG project has moved into the closing phase on the development of a full-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) facility on Semiahmoo Reserve Lands thanks to funding from Natural Resources Canada.

The project will process organic waste from households, multi-family residences and businesses in the surrounding area, and generate RNG, a carbon-negative energy source that can displace fossil fuels customers who receive RNG via Surrey, British Columbia-based FortisBC’s existing distribution network.  

“We are very proud to have formed and progressed this very unique partnership with the Semiahmoo First Nation. The facility will be of enormous value to the local communities both environmentally and economically,” Andion CEO Phillip Abrary says. “The facility will process organic waste from surrounding communities, reducing the waste that would otherwise end up in landfill. The resulting biomethane from the facility is a carbon-negative gas that will be conveyed via existing gas pipelines to power and heat local communities. Additionally, as a byproduct of the anaerobic digestion process, we will be generating a nutrient-rich soil amendment that can be used on local farms and replace synthetic fertilizers, further displacing the use of fossil fuels.”  

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The facility will be jointly owned by Semiahmoo First Nation’s economic arm, SE-MI-AH-MU LP Development Corp., and Vancouver, British Columbia-based Andion North America. It is the first major economic development project on the reserve, says Andion. The project will offset fossil fuel use, divert organic waste, create jobs and revenue for the Semiahmoo Nation while recycling nutrients back into ecosystems.  

“We have carefully and thoughtfully chosen a project that aligns with our core values to preserve and protect the natural environment while bringing economic benefits to the nation,” Semiahmoo Chief Harley Chappell says. “We will be a partner and a co-owner of the project which will be situated on the Semiahmoo lands. This project set a new precedent in [British Columbia] for environmental stewardship by creating clean, carbon-negative renewable energy.” 

RNG blends in with British Columbia’s natural gas system while offering a lower carbon footprint than conventional natural gas, says David Bennett, director of renewable gas and low-carbon fuels at FortisBC.

“Increasing the amount of RNG in our system is an important aspect of our Clean Growth Pathway and the provincial government’s CleanBC Roadmap,” he says. “As such, our gas system will continue to play an important role in meeting [British Columbia’s] climate action goals as we accelerate the transition to renewable and low-carbon energy, including RNG and in the future hydrogen.”