The Provincial government is changing biogas rules to create new ways for farmers to expand the emerging biogas and renewal natural gas market in the province. The hope is to create economic opportunities while maintaining Ontario’s strict environmental protections.
The changes will enable new on-far bio-gas systems and expansion of existing systems to be approved more easily at at a lower cost to ensure Ontario continues to be a biogas sector leader in Canada.
The changes also aim to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting waste from the landfill through increased maximum allowable limits and new types of off-farm anaerobic digestion systems such as food processing waste and source separated organics and by encouraging production of renewable natural gas.
Changes to regulations under the Nutrient Management Act will create more opportunities for farmers to treat on-farm materials as well as other types of off-farm food and organic waste materials in on-farm regulated mixed anaerobic digestion facilities.
The hope is to increase on-farm production of biogas to generate renewable natural gas and provide Ontario farmers with new sources of on-farm income.
