A three-way partnership between Abbotsford and Maple Ridge companies and Fortis BC will help with waste reduction.
Naturally Homegrown Foods Ltd. is an all-natural snack food and has collaborated with Abbotsford’s Fraser Valley Biogas (FVB). The food company will be using FVB to convert organic waste from the plant into biogas, which is a carbon-neutral energy source produced through anaerobic digestion. The biogas is then purified to become renewable natural gas which can be used similarly to conventional natural gas.
This gas will then be used to support the energy needs of the plant operation, including powering cooking equipment to create Hardbite brand potato chips. Additionally, a high-quality fertilizer is produced as a byproduct which in turn is used to support healthy growth of potatoes used to make the chips.
FortisBC links the two companies through its existing natural gas system and its renewable natural gas program.
According to Pete Schouten, owner of Naturally Homegrown Foods, Heppell Potato Corp and FVB the fit is natural.
“We’ve been growing potatoes in the Fraser Valley since 1920, and operate BC’s only potato chip manufacturing plant. When we learned about the opportunity to become involved with and operate Fraser Valley Biogas, we felt that it was such a unique fit with our vertically integrated operations. We are able to capture biogas from our waste and close the loop in a sustainable way.”
