Quebec increases RNG target for distributors

The Quebec government has introduced amended regulations requiring gas distributors in the province to incorporate 7% renewable natural gas (RNG) into their supply by 2028, a move welcomed August 31 by Energir, the largest distributor in the province.

In November 2020, the government released its 2030 Plan for a Green Economy, which included a determination to inject at least 10% RNG into the provincial grid by 2030. Earlier this year, it set out intermediate mileposts to achieve that ambition: 2% by 2023 and 5% by 2025; the latest amendment adds the 7% target and formalises the 10% goal.

“The establishment of a clear and predictable regulatory framework is a sine qua non for the long-term development of the RNG industry in Quebec,” Energir executive vice president Stephanie Trudeau said in a statement. “We very much welcome the adoption of the regulation and its introduction of the concept of renewable gas.”

The latest amendment also specifies that RNG counted towards achieving the targets must be delivered for final consumption in the exclusive territory of the distributors, clarifying the notion of RNG delivery obligation in Quebec which was not originally specified in the regulations.