Regina ponders plan to turn garbage gas into electricity

Although it didn't work out seven years ago, the City of Regina wants to spend $5 million to get back into the landfill gas business.

The public works committee is scheduled to meet at City Hall today and one of the items on the agenda is a plan to siphon methane from the dump at the north edge of the city, generate electricity with it and sell thatto SaskPower.

The plant would cost $5 million to build, but over 20 years it would generate a net profit of about $8 million, a city administration report says.

Although the city sometimes considers public-private partnerships (or P3s) in public works projects (notably the upcoming sewage treatment plant upgrade), in this case the administration has ruled out a P3 and says it wants to finance and run the gas generation plant itself.

If the committee recommends in favour of the project, the proposal will go to city council for final approval.

Previous attempt

In 2007, the city struck a landfill gas deal with Solar Hydrogen EnergyCorporation the plan being to convert the gas into hydrogen that Solar Hydrogen would sell.

However, the city says Solar Hydrogen didn't live up to the terms of the contract and the deal was cancelled.

• Regina to pull out of landfill gas deal (Jan. 13, 2010)

Meanwhile, the City of Saskatoon has been working on developing a green energy park that includes a
landfill gas co-powered generation plant.