Richmond Biogas Energy Garden

The Richmond Biogas Energy Garden was a first of its kind green energy project, which involved the construction of a new food and green waste high solids anaerobic digestion facility on the site of the existing Fraser Richmond Soil and Fibre Ltd composting facility in Richmond, BC.

The new facility comprises a 14,000 SF mechanical pre-treatment hall followed by a two-stage biogas process involving the use of ten percolators (total 14,000 SF) and two methane reactors. The solid output is then transferred to the composting facility where it receives further preparation to produce compost. The biogas generated is then cleaned and fed to a 1MW combined heat and power unit to produce electric power onsite at 600V. A unit substation has also been constructed on site as part of the scheme to transform the power to 25 kV and provide grid protection. The scheme also includes construction of a 3,000 SF Green Energy Centre which provides a control room, viewing area and general office space.

The end result of this project is a facility that:

• Processes in excess of 800 tonnes of organic waste per week, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 23,000 tonnes
• Produces power for more than 900 homes
• Provides high-quality compost for local farms and gardens

This project was named by KPMG as one of the Top 100 Infrastructure Projects in the World and received the 2013 Canadian Construction Association’s Environmental Achievement Award for its contribution to enhancing and improving environmental performance.