Engie to Develop Renewable Gas Project in Mexico

French utility giant Engie is developing a biomethane project in Mexico, aiming to connect it to the country’s natural gas pipeline network.

According to National Gas Intelligence (NGI), Engie is developing a project that will involve capturing biogas emissions from a landfill site in the state of Queretaro and processing it into renewable natural gas (RNG). This RNG will then be injected into Mexico's natural gas grid, which will help to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and provide a source of non-intermittent renewable energy.

According to Chevron, RNG, also known as biomethane, is a type of biogas that has a similar quality to natural gas. But unlike natural gas, it is derived from organic materials such as livestock manure, food waste, agricultural residues and wastewater treatment plant sludge. 

The process of producing RNG involves capturing the methane emitted from decomposing organic matter and purifying it to remove impurities like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. RNG can be used for a variety of purposes such as heating and cooling buildings, generating electricity and powering vehicles.

“This is a very interesting project for us because the industrial consumers of natural gas do not have to make any changes in their installations to be able to receive the ‘green gas’,” Eva Ribera, Vice-President of Business Development and Implementation, Engie, told NGI. 

Continuing, Ribera added that “we think that biogas is currently an opportunity in Mexico and we are working to solidify the first injection project for biomethane into the natural gas distribution.” 

The company is also working to support Mexico's goal of generating 35% of energy from clean sources. The project is expected to be fully operational by 2023.