Dec 21 2009
RCI Environment announced that two anaerobic digestion plants submitted by RCI Technologies, a subsidiary unit of RCI Environment have been retained by Hydro-Québec. This submission took place as part of RCI Technologies offer in response to call for tenders from Hydro-Québec to purchase energy produced by biomass cogeneration.
These two plants will be located in Longueuil and Montreal's Anjou borough. The total investment for both the facilities will be more than $60 million. This leading edge technology will be developed by RCI Environment for the very first time in Quebec. More than 100,000 tons of organic material will be transformed by each of these plants into biogas. This biogas will then be used to power generators with an installed capacity of 3.9 MW.
Jean Beaudoin, First Vice President for Strategic Development at RCI Environment, remarked that each facility will generate enough electricity that is equal to the annual consumption of more than 2,000 families. An estimated amount of 140,000 tons of greenhouse gases will be eliminated by each facility. The two facilities will help to reduce substantial amounts of organic waste in landfills. Each of these plants according to Beaudoin will help in accomplishing the measures put down by the Government of Quebec as part of its proposals to the Copenhagen Conference and its new waste management policy.
Beaudoin further remarked that these two plants will help in implementing the development strategy proposed by RCI Environment. This strategy aims in providing efficient waste management services to companies, municipalities and institutions. Through these waste management services RCI Environment aims in reducing waste landfill to a minimum level by highlighting the importance of reuse, recovery and recycling measures.
These two plants will make use of a proven technology suitable for Quebec that is based on an anaerobic digestion system that has been developed by LIPP, a German company that is represented by Methatech. LIPP is a leading global supplier of equipment that is used to transform organic material into biogas.
The proposal for a third plant was not retained by Hydro-Quebec. RCI Environment intends to develop this third plant in the Outaouais region whose proposal will be reviewed by the company along with an analysis of other issues.