Facility Planned by Semiahmoo First Nation and Andion to Receive $14.4M from Federal Gov't

State of the Art Clean Energy Facility Planned by Semiahmoo First Nation and Andion to Receive $14.4M in Funding From Natural Resources Canada - GlobeNewswire Published Jun 27, 2023 • 3 minute read

The facility will divert organic waste to create carbon negative Renewable Natural Gas and will create revenue and jobs for the Semiahmoo First Nation

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Andion, a proven leader in organic waste to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) with a mission to fuel a net-zero future, announced today that the Semiahmoo RNG project has moved into the closing phase on the development of a full-scale Anaerobic Digestion facility on Semiahmoo Reserve Lands thanks to funding from Natural Resources Canada. The project will process organic waste from household, multi-family as well as businesses in the surrounding area, and generate RNG, a carbon-negative energy source that can directly displace fossil fuels customers who receive RNG via FortisBC’s existing distribution network.

The facility will be jointly owned by Semiahmoo First Nation’s economic arm, Semiahmoo LLC, and Andion North America, and is the first major economic development project on the reserve. The project will offset fossil fuel use, divert organic waste, create jobs and revenue for the Semiahmoo Nation, and recycle nutrients back into ecosystems.

“We have carefully and thoughtfully chosen a project that aligns with our core values to preserve and protect the natural environment, while bringing economic benefits to the nation,” said Semiahmoo Chief, Harley Chappell. “We will be a partner and a co-owner of the project which will be situated on the Semiahmoo lands. This project set a new precedent in BC for environmental stewardship by creating clean, carbon-negative renewable energy.”

“We are very proud to have formed and progressed this very unique partnership with the Semiahmoo First Nation. The facility will be of enormous value to the local communities both environmentally and economically,” said Phillip Abrary, Andion CEO. “The facility will process organic waste from surrounding communities, reducing the waste that would otherwise end up in landfill. The resulting biomethane from the facility is a carbon-negative gas that will be conveyed via existing gas pipelines to power and heat local communities. Additionally, as a byproduct of the Anaerobic Digestion process, we will be generating a nutrient rich soil amendment that can be used on local farms and replace synthetic fertilizers further displacing the use of fossil fuels.”