Turning garbage into cars

General Motors of Canada (GM) is planning, by mid-2019, to power 32% of its plant in St. Catharines, Ontario using renewable landfill gas as fuel, reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while lowering their operating costs and improving their competitiveness!

The project plans to generate electricity and recover thermal energy by building a6.4 megawatt co-generation plant connected to a dedicated pipeline that distributes the landfill gas produced in the neighbouring city of Thorold.

This is estimated to reduce the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant’s GHG emissions by 77%, in line with GM’s environmental commitment of powering all of its global operations’ electricity with 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

In partnership with Alectra Utilities, Integrated Gas Recovery Services, this renewable energy project, valued at $46.8 million, is among the first 9 Industrial projects recipients of the TargetGHG program, launched in 2016 and administered by the Ontario Centres of Excellence.

And where does the money come from: the GHG emitter’s pockets!

TargetGHG is supported by $74 million from the Green Investment Fund, a part of the province’s initial investment in Ontario’s new five-year Climate Change Action Plan (2016-2020). This plan explains how cap and trade auction proceeds will be spent.

By putting a price on carbon, Ontario's cap and trade program encourages companies and consumers to cut emissions.

Watch the short video below to learn more about Ontario’s cap and trade program.

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