Canadian Gas Association funds project to increase RNG and hydrogen awareness

The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) today announced it received $212,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada for support on a project to improve awareness of the potential for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and hydrogen (H2) to meet Canadian energy needs.

Canada’s core gas energy offering – natural gas – continues to be the country’s most affordable and reliable energy choice, meeting 38% of Canada’s energy needs with an ever-improving environmental performance record. Partially funded by NRCan, the project “Improving Awareness: A Foundation for Renewable Natural Gas and hydrogen in Canada” is aimed at identifying how RNG and H2 – two emerging gas energy options – can add to that core gas energy value proposition.

CGA members have been developing projects across Canada using RNG and H2 for many years. The CGA developed guidance documentation for the adoption of RNG into our systems over a decade ago, and many Canadians use RNG today. On H2, a series of innovative projects are underway in the industry, and the CGA co-chairs two of the working groups making up the Government of Canada’s “Hydrogen Strategy for Canada” (the Natural Gas Working Group, and the Infrastructure Working Group) and sits on the Strategic Steering Committee.

Under the co-funded project, CGA and its members will partner with QUEST Canada to conduct stakeholder interviews to understand industry and commercial user needs and in turn develop tailored informational content such as factsheets, infographics, and videos around RNG and H2. Further, the project will include a series of workshops, webinars, and other activities aimed at ensuring a full understanding of what these gas energy options represent.

“Hydrogen and RNG are two more options in the gas energy mix that is so critical to Canada’s well-being. Gas energy is the fastest growing, the most reliable and the most affordable source of energy for Canadians.  The gas energy industry is committed to constant innovation in how it delivers in order to constantly improve on that value proposition, all while continuing to improve environmental performance. Our work with NRCan on RNG and H2 is part of that commitment.”

Timothy M. Egan, President and CEO, Canadian Gas Association

Federal funding for this project is provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Fuels Awareness funding opportunity, which provides support to projects that increase knowledge and understanding of the opportunities, benefits, and considerations related to adopting clean fuels in industrial and commercial operations, and for consumers.

Quick Facts

  • RNG is derived from biomass or other organic waste sources from farms, forests, landfills, and water treatment plants. It is a pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas and is low to negative emissions, depending on its source.
  • RNG is produced over a series of steps: collection of a feedstock, delivery to a processing facility for biomass-to-gas conversion, gas conditioning, compression, and injection into the pipeline.
  • Hydrogen is an important component in a lower emission future largely because, when burned, its only by-products are heat and water (H20).
  • Canada has several pathways to produce hydrogen, including natural gas. Once hydrogen is produced, gas infrastructure is critical to the distribution and end-use of hydrogen for heating purposes.
About CGA
The Canadian Gas Association (CGA) is the voice of Canada’s gaseous energy delivery industry, including natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen. CGA membership includes energy distribution and transmission companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers of goods and services to the industry. CGA’s utility members are Canadian-owned and active in eight provinces and one territory. The Canadian natural gas distribution industry meets 38 per cent of Canada’s energy needs through a network of over 577,000 kilometers of underground infrastructure. The versatility and resiliency of this infrastructure allows it to deliver an ever-changing gas supply mix to over 7.4 million customer locations representing approximately two-thirds of Canadians. CGA members ensure Canadians get the affordable, reliable, clean gaseous energy they want and need. CGA is also working to constantly improve that gaseous energy offering, by driving forward innovation through the Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF).

For more information contact:
Harshivam Bawa
Acting Manager, Communications
Canadian Gas Association
226-219-7562

news@cga.ca

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