Waste to energy is a process that turns our everyday waste into useful energy. Instead of sending 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. 

Varme is proud to be the first in Canada to integrate carbon capture technology into our waste-to-energy facilities. This means we’re not just creating energy—we're also trapping and storing CO2 emissions, making an even bigger impact in protecting the environment.

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 waste-to-energy process begins with safely transporting waste to our facilities. Trucks drive directly into the facility, where they then dump the waste into a pit. 

From there, cranes transfer the waste to a combustion chamber where it is burned at extremely high temperatures. 

This combustion process generates heat, which is used to create steam. The steam then drives a turbine, (similar to how traditional power plants operate), which generates clean electricity that can be used to power homes and businesses. 

But the process doesn’t end there. The flue gas from the combustion process goes through an environmental treatment system to remove pollutants—except for carbon dioxide which is then captured using an amine-based carbon capture unit and then sent away so it can be safely stored underground. 

From start to finish, our process is designed to be contained, efficient, and environmentally responsible.

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. Plus, with carbon capture technology, we can capture and store the emissions, making the entire waste management process carbon-negative.

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. We operate within the waste hierarchy, working alongside recycling and not in place of it. 

The first two elements of the waste hierarchy, reduce and reuse, help to minimize the amount of material that ends up recycled or thrown away. Recycling then takes materials like paper, glass, and plastics and turns them into new products, which helps cut down on the amount of waste we produce. But what happens when something can’t be recycled?

That’s where waste to energy comes in. Instead of sending non-recyclable materials to a landfill where they will stay forever, waste-to-energy facilities recover that waste and transform it into clean, reliable energy.

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.

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. 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!

Metals that are left behind in the ash after the waste is combusted are carefully sorted and recovered. We use magnets and special equipment to pull out different types of metals. Anything that isn’t burned gets separated, cleaned, and can be resold and reused. This helps keep valuable metals in use and supports a circular economy. 

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.

Carbon credits are a tool for managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Projects that reduce carbon emissions or remove CO2 from the atmosphere 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.

Yes, Varme sells BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) Credits. These credits are generated by our waste-to-energy facilities from the biomass portion of our fuel 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.

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.

Purchasing BECCS Credits supports innovative projects that help fight climate change in a big way. By investing in these credits, you’re backing efforts that not only cut emissions but also help to tackle the excess CO2 already in the atmosphere.

Absolutely! 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.

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

The general process starts with the removal of CO2 from these facilities through an industrial process. 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. 

This process ensures the CO2 remains safely stored and doesn’t contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gases, helping to combat climate change.

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