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May 26, 2003
Vancouver Landfill project wins renewable energy award
The Landfill Gas Collection and Utilization Project, a joint initiative
by the City of Vancouver and the Corporation of Delta, is the winner of
the Federation of Canadian Municipalities-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community
Award for renewable energy.
Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell and Delta Mayor Lois Jackson announced
the award today which recognizes the municipalities for their leadership
in advancing sustainable community development.
“This innovative project, designed and implemented by our City staff,
shows how we can take creative steps to reduce global warming and pursue
energy conservation,” said Campbell. “The Cool Vancouver strategy
we’re working on with people across the city will build on successes
like this to support our objective of meeting Kyoto Protocol targets.”
The award-winning project allows methane gas collected from the Vancouver
Landfill in Delta to be used to generate heat and electricity for sale.
The Corporation of Delta helped make the project possible by allowing
rezoning so the gas can go through the cogeneration process on site.
“Council has always worked hard to protect Delta’s agricultural
land and carefully considered all the pluses and minuses associated with
this project,” Jackson said. “In the end, Council decided that
the potential impacts had been addressed and were outweighed by the benefits
to the community.”
Through partnerships with the private companies Maxim Power Corporation
and CanAgro Produce Ltd., the landfill gas will be used to produce electricity
for sale to B.C. Hydro and heat for CanAgro’s greenhouse operations
starting in the fall of 2003.
The award acknowledges how the Vancouver Landfill is taking a by-product
and turning it into a creative, new energy option that provides environmental
benefits and revenue. Initially, the project will provide about 20 per
cent of CanAgro’s energy requirements, and help support approximately
300 jobs in Delta. Vancouver will receive about $300,000 a year in revenue
that will be used to help offset landfill operating costs.
The award will be officially presented to Mayor Campbell and Mayor Jackson
at the annual FCM conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 31.
FCM and CH2M HILL established the Sustainable Community Awards in 2000
to promote and recognize municipal leadership and excellence in service
delivery through initiatives that address environmental, economic and
social issues. The awards are also supported by the FCM’s Green Municipal
Funds, the Government of Canada’s Climate Change Action Fund and
Transport Canada. The Green Municipal Funds, a partnership between the
FCM and the Government of Canada, supported the project by providing a
$500,000 low-interest loan from its Green Municipal Investment Fund.
FCM has been the national voice of municipal governments since 1901. It
is dedicated to improving the quality of life in all communities by promoting
strong, effective, and accountable municipal government. CH2M HILL is
a global firm that provides engineering, construction, operations and
related technical services to public and private clients, and works with
communities to develop sustainable solutions for living.
Media enquiries:
Paul Henderson
Engineering Services, Transfer and Landfill Operations
604.940.3201
Fact Sheet
Vancouver Landfill Gas Collection and Utilization Project
- The Vancouver Landfill is taking a by-product and turning it into
a creative, new energy option.
- Landfill gas is produced by the anaerobic decomposition of garbage.
It consists of approximately 50 per cent methane, 50 per cent carbon
dioxide, and other trace gases.
- The gas is normally collected and burned to reduce greenhouse emissions
and to control odour, with a small percentage used to heat the Landfill’s
administration building.
- A landfill gas collection and flare system has been in place at the
Vancouver Landfill since 1991, and was expanded in 2000.
- Starting in the fall of 2003, instead of being flared, the gas will
go through a cogeneration process.
- The electricity generated will be sold to BC Hydro as “green”
power, and the heat produced will be sold to CanAgro Produce to heat
their greenhouses.
- The project will provide about 20 per cent of CanAgro’s greenhouse
energy requirements.
Financial benefits
- It will help support approximately 300 jobs in Delta.
- Vancouver will receive about $300,000 a year in revenues from the
project that will be used to help offset operating costs.
Environmental benefits
- It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 200,000 tonnes
per year of carbon dioxide equivalents (the emissions of about 40,000
automobiles).
- It captures approximately 500,000 GJ of energy a year, the energy
requirements for 3,000 to 4,000 households.
- It will reduce CanAgro’s annual natural gas use by about 20 per
cent.
Vancouver Landfill
- The Vancouver Landfill, located in Delta at 5400 72nd Street, is owned
and operated by the City of Vancouver.
- The landfill serves approximately 950,000 residents of Vancouver,
Delta, Richmond, White Rock, University Endowment Lands, and some regions
of Surrey, or roughly 40 per cent of the Greater Vancouver Regional
District.
- Each year, about 400,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste is deposited
at the landfill.
FCM - CH2M Hill Sustainable Community Awards
- Submissions are judged for innovation, excellence, and the ability
to demonstrate environmental and social benefits, and their impact on
the community, as well as economic and cost-effectiveness benefits.
- Vancouver/Delta’s award is one of seven awards in different categories
the FCM and CH2M Hill will present this year for municipal government
initiatives. There were 69 submissions overall.
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