Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay Powers up with 100% Renewable Energy

(Montreal Port Authority) The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) is pleased to announce that since January 1, 2024, the Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay has been surpassing a carbon footprint milestone it set by opting for a new energy supply solution. By adding renewable natural gas (RNG) distributed by Énergir to its energy sources, the building is now supplied with 100% renewable energy.

Improving the carbon footprint of events
Located at 200 De la Commune Street West, the Grand Quay has a number of venues available for private and public large-scale events, including the Port of Montreal Tower, the 3,500 m2 Cruise Terminal, the Pavilion on the green roof and the Port Centre.

The MPA chose to shift from fossil natural gas, previously used for heating and cooking systems in the Grand Quay’s event rentals, to renewable natural gas. This switch to RNG makes it possible for organizers to greatly improve the carbon footprint of their events at the Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay.

A long-term vision
This initiative is part of the MPA’s commitment to positively help bring about a sustainable future and environment, in line with its stated goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. What’s more, it meets the growing demand from cruise lines and event organizers for renewable energy and how to improve their carbon footprint.

The Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay is a shining example of eco-responsible property development, because it integrated several remarkable sustainable development components during the project to rehabilitate the former Alexandra Pier and Cruise Terminal. They include:

Installation of one of the largest green roofs in the city, featuring 24,000 plants and a long boardwalk
Landscaping of a lawn and lowering the quay to bring it closer to the river
Introduction of shore power for cruise ships visiting Montreal, enabling them to turn off their engines during their stopover and in by doing so, limit their GHG emissions
It is also noteworthy that the Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay uses a Solucycle robot to collect and process its organic waste, making for optimized waste management.

The Port of Montreal’s Grand Quay received the Corps Public award at the 2019 Gala Montréal durable, for its outstanding positive impact in terms of sustainable development, its landscaping, its shore power system and its approach to community outreach.

What is RNG?
RNG is a renewable source of energy produced 100% from organic waste that helps cut greenhouse gas emissions. By capturing biogas from landfill sites or through a process of biomethanization, organic matter (food residues, liquid manure, manure, wastewater, etc.) is turned into biogas which, once purified, becomes renewable natural gas. Biogas has a positive impact in two ways: it replaces fossil energy with renewable energy, and it recovers the methane emissions associated with burying organic waste in landfill sites. By opting for RNG, there’s no need to change equipment. It allows to keep costs down, while accelerating the energy transition.

Quotes
“The MPA is fully engaged in decarbonizing its operations to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and meet the ambitious objectives of the Montreal Climate Partnership. RNG is one of the most attractive solutions to achieve this quickly. Our Grand Quay is a showcase of our pledge to adopt best practices in sustainable development, and thanks to RNG, we’re entering a new stage in substantially decreasing the carbon footprint of our buildings,” said Benoit Viens, Senior Director, Real Estate and Environment, at the MPA.

“Energir is committed to developing the RNG sector in Quebec to increase the quantities in its network, so that its customers can count on a range of energy solutions in their decarbonization journey. By replacing fossil natural gas with RNG, the MPA was able to quickly switch to an entirely renewable energy supply for the Grand Quay’s rental event spaces, and thus improve its carbon footprint. We are proud to have collaborated with their teams to develop a game plan that would not only meet their needs, but actively contribute to achieving their decarbonization targets,” explains Brigitte Samson, Senior Executive Director, Customer Energy Solutions & Services, at Énergir.

About the Port of Montreal

Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is the largest container port in Eastern Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The only container port in Quebec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada’s two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre.

The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity in Canada supports some 590,000 jobs and generates $93.5 billion in economic activity. READ MORE