Waste to energy is a process that turns our everyday waste into useful energy. Instead of sending all our trash to landfills, waste-to-energy facilities take your everyday black bin waste and convert it into clean energy to power homes and businesses in your community. 

Waste to energy benefits the environment in several key ways. It reduces the amount of waste in landfills, cutting down on harmful greenhouse gas emissions like methane. Instead of sitting in a landfill, waste is converted into clean energy that powers homes and businesses, decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels. Plus, with carbon capture technology, we can capture and store the emissions, making the entire waste management process carbon-negative.

Waste-to-energy facilities can handle a wide variety of waste types. This includes everyday household trash, like food scraps, paper, and plastic, as well as non-recyclable materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Even industrial waste and certain types of hazardous waste can be safely processed. Essentially, if it’s something that can't be recycled but would otherwise just take up space in a landfill, it can likely be turned into energy instead!

Yes, waste to energy is safe, even for those living nearby! Modern waste-to-energy facilities use advanced technology to control emissions and ensure that the process meets strict environmental standards. When coupled with carbon capture technology, even the emissions produced from the facility are captured and stored, making the process carbon-negative. 

Waste to energy and recycling work together to make waste management more effective. 

Recycling takes materials like paper, glass, and plastics and turns them into new products, which helps cut down on the amount of waste we produce. Waste to energy complements this by handling any waste that can’t be recycled. It turns non-recyclable waste into energy while reducing landfill use. Recycling reuses materials we can, and waste to energy handles the rest in an environmentally friendly way. 

Together, they help us reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill, making our waste management system more sustainable.

Waste-to-energy facilities with integrated carbon capture are designed to minimize emissions. Varme waste-to-energy facilities capture approximately 90% of all emissions produced using advanced carbon capture and storage technology.

Carbon credits are a tool for managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Projects that reduce carbon emissions or remove CO2 from the atmoshphere earn these credits, with each credit representing the reduction or removal of one ton of CO2.

Companies or organizations can purchase these credits to offset their own emissions through various carbon markets and trading systems.

In Canada, carbon credits are regulated and must meet specific standards to ensure they represent real, verifiable emissions reductions.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) Credits, are the kind of carbon credits Varme produces through our waste-to-energy facilities.

BECCS Credits are generated by burning biomass—organic material that comes from plants and animals—to produce energy. The carbon dioxide released during this process is captured and stored underground, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

Unlike regular carbon credits, BECCS Credits not only offset emissions but also remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This means they have a double impact: reducing current emissions and pulling carbon out of the air.

Yes, Varme sells BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) Credits. These credits are generated by our waste-to-energy facilities, which use biomass to produce energy while capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions.

To ensure the rigor and accuracy of our carbon capture process, we use flow meters and conduct ASTM testing as mandated by the Province of Alberta. Additionally, our methods are verified by third-party assessments to guarantee the credibility of our carbon credits.

Absolutely not! Since 2000, over 44 million tons of CO2 have been captured in Canada through carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. 

CCS is a key part of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, with Alberta and Saskatchewan leading the way with major projects like Quest and ACTL.

At Varme, we’re committed to capturing approximately 90% of carbon dioxide emissions—around 200,000 tonnes per year—at each of our waste-to-energy facilities.

Carbon capture technology was developed to help lower CO2 emissions from major sources like power plants and factories. 

The process starts with special filters that are used to capture CO2 from these facilities. Once captured, the CO2 is compressed to reduce its volume and then transported to a storage site using pipelines, ships, or trains. At the storage site, the CO2 is injected deep underground into secure geological formations, like depleted oil fields or saline aquifers. 

Alberta is a fantastic spot for carbon capture and storage (CCS) because of its unique geological features. The province boasts vast, stable rock formations, such as depleted oil fields and saline aquifers, which are ideal for securely storing captured carbon deep underground. Coupled with significant investments in CCS technology, Alberta has become home to some of the world’s largest and most advanced carbon capture projects.

Every year, Canada sends over 26 million tonnes of waste to landfills, and that number keeps rising. That’s why waste to energy is so important. Waste-to-energy facilities help cut down the amount of waste in landfills by turning it into clean energy, giving our waste a new purpose and reducing its environmental impact.

Landfills are a major contributor to global warming because they are one of the world's top sources of methane, a greenhouse gas that’s far more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact, methane is about 28 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period. This makes it a major player in climate change. By reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills through waste to energy, we can help cut down on methane emissions and make a real impact in the fight against climate change.

Landfills have a big impact on our planet in several ways. First, they take up a lot of space and can lead to the loss of natural habitats. As waste breaks down, it produces harmful gases like methane, which contribute to climate change. Landfills can also leak pollutants like leachate into the soil and groundwater, affecting plants, animals, and even our drinking water. Plus, the more waste we send to landfills, the more we strain our natural resources. 

But the impact doesn’t stop there. Landfills create long-term liabilities for future generations. Once a landfill is decommissioned, the land often cannot be used for other purposes for up to 100 years. By reducing the amount of waste we send to landfills through waste to energy, we can help mitigate these negative effects, safeguard our natural resources, and protect the environment for future generations.

The reality is that waste is inevitable, and we’re generating more of it every year. That’s why waste-to-energy facilities are so important—they help us manage waste more effectively. 

Instead of letting waste pile up in landfills, it’s converted into clean energy. Plus, with integrated carbon capture, emissions from this process are captured and stored safely. 

While we continue to push for better waste reduction and recycling programs, waste to energy ensures that our non-recyclable waste is handled in a sustainable and beneficial way.

We are always looking for talented individuals to join our team. Send your resume to connect@varme.ca