UPDATE: New waste-to-renewable energy processing facility announced in Quebec

A new waste-to-renewable energy processing facility has been announced in Quebec that will utilize advanced anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting technology to convert up to 35,000 tonnes of organic waste annually into renewable energy (biogas) and nutrient-rich fertilizer and compost.

The announcement was made by the Convertus Group (Convertus), which, along with Énergère, a leading energy services company in Quebec, plans to design, build, finance, and operate a cutting-edge organic waste processing facility in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Que., under a 20-year operating contract.

“We are excited to contribute to the sustainability goals of Mauricie Region’s communities by providing an innovative organic waste management solution,” said Michael Leopold, CEO of Convertus Group. “Our full-service approach to designing, constructing and operating new organic waste processing facilities across North America ensures maximum resource recovery while minimizing environmental impact.”

The new facility is scheduled to receive its first waste in 2026, and will “address the increasing environmental challenges associated with organic waste disposal in Mauricie Region,” according to Convertus press release. The company intends to supply the biogas to Enercycle’s onsite gas upgrader where it will be further processed and compressed into RNG. 

“We expect 48,900 (GJ/yr) of biogas which will be delivered to the existing Enercycle gas upgrading system and will be upgraded to RNG for grid injection,” said Ann-Marie Cooper, Human Resources and communications manager for Convertus.

Construction will begin in Spring 2025 and commissioning is expected to take place in mid-2026. The company stated that the GHG emissions that could be reduced through the use of this technology range from 1,500 to 2,500 tCO2/yr.  

“Each step in reducing greenhouse gases is a victory for our planet. It is with great pride that we are committed, in symbiosis with our partners, to continuing this mission and wish to become, through projects such as St-Étienne des Grès biomethanization plant, an inspiration for future initiatives” stated Mario Geoffrey, director of Biomethanization at Énergère.