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Federal funding allocated to help farmers utilize biogas

Ottawa has announced funding of up to $116,800 for the Canadian Biogas Association (CBA) to accelerate sustainable agricultural development.

“There are already 61 farms and agri-food businesses across Canada successfully capturing biogas and turning it into a valuable clean energy resource. Studies show that there is the opportunity for much more. With the support of AAFC, we can accelerate further uptake of farm biogas projects and, in so doing, cut Canada’s carbon emissions and support our agricultural communities,” said Jennifer Green, executive director of the CBA.

With funding of up to $28,800 from the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, the CBA launched a campaign to help farmers learn more about biogas. As part of the campaign, the CBA launched FarmingBiogas.ca, a new website with resources to help farmers evaluate the opportunities of biogas, including a self-assessment tool, answers to key questions, profiles of on-farm biogas plants in Canada and more. It also includes a checklist and links to biogas equipment suppliers and technical advisors, acting as a one-stop-shop to help farmers get started.

On-farm biogas systems can help farmers cut greenhouse gas emissions, provide sustainable sources of energy and offer many other environmental advantages. They can also generate additional sources of income and create opportunities for the farm’s next generation.

Biogas can be captured and purified to create renewable natural gas, which is fully interchangeable to replace conventional natural gas. The CBA also received $88,000 under the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program to identify clusters of agricultural resources across Canada and assess the potential for renewable natural gas development by region.

The CBA is expected to use this information to create a guide to inform agricultural stakeholders about new and emerging renewable natural gas opportunities, encouraging collaborations to develop more sustainable energy systems in Canada.

Source: AAFC