Energy Capital Interview GHD

But when talking about Energy & Resources, for sure it does. However, we also do traditional work in the oil and gas space.

In GHD’s experience, what is the most difficult part of decarbonization of energy systems?

MZ: We have been in the landfill gas business for quite some time, decades… We have also been handling organic waste management for over 15 years. Those two meet in the middle with RNG. Four years ago, we started doing quite a few feasibility studies to determine whether or not it made sense for a particular entity to develop an RNG project. And what we have seen as fundamental barriers are economics: whether it is economically feasible for a specific company in its particular geography to develop the project. The feedstock is another potential barrier. Also, sometimes RNG projects require a lot of existing infrastructure. Sometimes, in particular cases, that infrastructure is not there and needs to be developed; that is also a barrier. If the infrastructure is there, that makes it much easier.

How do Renewable Natural Gas fits into the energy transition?

MZ: Let me start with what RNG is. Renewable Natural Gas is essentially methane that’s cleaned up and acts just as natural gas in your pipeline. However, the RNG source can come from multiple

different areas. For example, landfill gas can be cleaned up to be upgraded to RNG. Animal waste can also become RNG through anaerobic digestion. Specifically, from dairies, there’s a lot of RNG coming through. Yet another source is biosolids from wastewater treatment facilities. All of those things that we take as waste go through anaerobic digestion for decomposition. All of that resource if it is not collected, is lost. But if you collect it and upgrade it, and put it in a pipeline, that becomes a resource. And that is where RNG meets decarbonization efforts by using a resource that would otherwise be wasted. Also, the methane that would otherwise go into the atmosphere is collected, gathered, and used as an energy resource.

Why is it important to develop waste-to-energy solutions?

MZ: We all produce waste in multiple facets. If we just let it go as the population increases, we would have a severe waste issue. But if we collect it and use it as a resource, we essentially complete the circular economy model. We generate, take, and put it back into what we use, versus leaving the waste over a landfill. Ultimately, that is a real benefit for us regarding climate change and decarbonization.

On the other hand, RNG is a solution because of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and other credits available to develop those projects. RNG projects can be expensive, but when you have funding, and returns like the LCFS provides, you have an available resource to reduce the environmental footprint of certain industries.

How do GHD is collaborating with the industry to unlock the potential of RNG?

MZ: We work with developers, technology providers, municipalities, and private entities interested in working and building these types of projects. What they are asking us to do is, first of all, do feasibility studies. What feasibility shows is whether or not a particular project will be profitable. We also work with technology providers. GHD is technology-agnostic. So what we do is match the technology to the type and specific needs of a certain project. We determine what will work; we ask developers to bring their prices to us, then present it to the client. We also develop projects along with partners. One of our partners right now is the city of Toronto, where we are developing RNG projects. We design, help build, and overall support the project through commissioning and operation.

Is there any success story of GHD in regards to the relevance of RNG in a decarbonized economy?

MZ: As I mentioned, the city of Toronto has been a partner for us. We have been helping the city to develop anaerobic digestion facilities, where the city will be able to process organics to produce biogas. The biogas will then be collected and upgraded through the RNG technology to put it back in the pipeline for use.

What are the main hurdles or challenges right now in regards to launching wide projects to harness or produce power from waste?

MZ: When you are talking about RNG development, cost is definitely one of the main challenges, as I said before. Regulation can also be a big hurdle. But it can also be an enabler if regulations and policies encourage these projects. The specific project requirements can also be a challenge, as these projects are new and sometimes people are not necessarily well versed in what they need.

When we are talking about something like dairies, the animal waste typically goes to lagoons, or wide-open spaces that hold the waste. When you have a project to use that waste you got to have a covered lagoon or a facility, which can be expensive. Sometimes, to make a project viable, you need more than one dairy farm to have an anerobic digestor installed. Then you put those pieces together with the pipeline, the biogas upgrading system. Then you have to install the pipeline to the location where the RNG is going to be used.

Can you explain what the No Time to Waste Strategy is?

MZ: No Time to waste is really a white paper that combinates all of our experience with organics management and anaerobic digestion, and biogas into RNG; our experience with developing these projects long term, and also our experience with waste water treatment plants that propose co-digest, which means bringing different feedstocks. The purpose of No Time To Waste is essentially a call to say: this is important, this is what we can do to use waste as a resource, and these are steps and the things to consider when you want to develop a project. The ultimate thing to consider is why you want to. No Time To Waste is fundamental Why. Why you want to use waste as a resource. The aim is that fundamental decarbonization piece where is important to use our existing resource to reduce our impact on this earth. Can you explain how this strategy will seize opportunities coming out from new regulations, and the COP26’s goal of wide-decarbonization?

MZ: Decarbonization is one of the main goals of the COP26. You take waste that is not carbonfriendly, waste that generates a lot of methane… but you then flip the script and you make that waste a decarbonization source. That is ultimately the fundamental reason why you want to do this.

RNG is part of the net zero goals. A lot of municipalities, a lot of entities across the globe are making decarbonization and net zero by 2050 a goal. I think that GHD is questioning if net zero is enough, or the real goal should be net-negative, where we improve things instead of leaving them as they are. In this regard, RNG is a piece of several others. Hydrogen is another way. In fact, GHD has also a hydrogen group that is doing research and moving forward projects of this sort. Hopefully soon we will reach the net negative goal.

Air Liquide, championing diversity and gender equality in parallel to energy transition

Sabrina Kristobak, Business Development Manager - Large Industries at Air Liquide shares with us her insights about the relevance of diversity and gender equality in the energy industry.

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OF WOMEN IN ALL STEM

The energy transition is a multi-factor event that requires not only the shifting to cleaner energy sources but a complete change of paradigms to harness true creativity and new perspectives for the future. Women Leaders in the energy industry are increasingly advancing awareness about the relevance of gender equality and diversity in companies as a vital element for a deep and meaningful transition. To speak about the matter, Sabrina Kristobak, Business Development Manager - Large Industries at Air Liquide, sat with us to highlight what leaders can do to maintain and strengthen their workforces in this transitioning context and her role in the Women's Energy Network (WEN).

Energy Capital: You started early in your career as an intern at Air Liquide. Could you tell us more about it and also about the ALLEX program you attended?

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POWER PLANTS AND MORE HAVE IMPLEMENTED ISOTROL’S SOLUTIONS

Sabrina Kristobak: Of course, what drew me to AL and a big part of what keeps me here are the opportunities. In my experience the company takes an active role in developing its employees and pushing them to take on new challenges. As you mentioned, I started with AL as an intern.I was outside of San Francisco with our electronics business working specifically in the semiconductor precursor industry.

I then finished my Chemical Engineering degree from Penn State and joined Air Liquide in the ALLEX program. Which is a 2 year leadership development program designed for recent graduates to move to a different position and geography every six months.