Quebec to ban fossil fuel natural gas heating in homes by 2040

Environmental groups are praising Quebec's plan to ban fossil-fuel-based natural gas heating in homes by 2040 in an effort to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Basically the idea is to stop the hemorrhage," said Jean-Pierre Finet, analyst with Le Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en énergie (ROEE), which advocates for sustainable energy in Quebec and a shift away from fossil fuels.

"We need to reduce our greenhouse gas production and it's not by adding gas to the grid that it will work."

Tens of thousands of homes in Quebec have natural gas heating, but by 2040 all will be required to use renewable gas, which is generated by organic waste. Making the switch won't be easy.

That's because, as of now, only two per cent of the natural gas generated by Quebec's main supplier, Énergir, is renewable.

"There's not enough, and it's way more expensive," said Finet, who estimates fossil fuel is around 10 cents a cubic metre whereas renewable natural gas is more like 70 or even 90 cents per cubic metre.

Biomethanation centres in Montreal, Quebec City

Énergir, the private company that distributes approximately 97 per cent of the gas consumed in Quebec to more than 200,000 customers, is backing the province's targets.

On its website, the company says renewable natural gas can be produced at specialized facilities that break down waste such as cattle manure, human biosolids or food residue. 

Quebec City and Montreal both have new biomethanation centres which turn food compost and wastewater into natural gas.

The new regulations will only restrict residential, commercial and institutional buildings from being heated by fossil fuels. Industrial buildings are exempt, and they use 60 per cent of the natural gas generated by Énergir.

Because of the complications of switching to renewable natural gas, the provincial government is hoping many fossil fuel users will convert to electric heating, which brings other challenges.

"We think the government's announcement is misguided," said Renaud Brossard, spokesperson for the Institut économique de Montréal, a nonpartisan economic think-tank.

"It's no secret that Quebec is in a situation where we have a shortage of electricity. The government admits it. Hydro-Québec admits it."

Embracing energy conservation needed

In a news release, both Hydro-Québec and the province say they're confident the electricity grid will be able to handle the increased load, but only if Quebecers embrace energy conservation and efficiency.

Sortons le gaz! is among organizations celebrating the news. It is a coalition of environmental, labour and citizen organizations that is advocating for Quebec buildings to rely on 100 per cent renewable energy.

By setting a clear deadline for eliminating fossil fuels in buildings, the government sends a strong signal to markets, Quebecers and the global community, the group says in a news release.

Still, the coalition is concerned that relying on dual-energy systems, which use both fossil fuels and electricity, as well as renewable natural gas, could delay Quebec's transition to truly renewable energy sources and prolong its dependence on fossil fuels.

Phasing out fossil gas from new and existing buildings is excellent news as it tackles seven per cent of Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions, said Anne-Céline Guyon, an analyst at Nature Québec, in a news release.

"However, it's clear the government is still lured by the mirage of dual energy and renewable natural gas, which will never sustainably meet the necessary volumes," she said.

In a news release Monday, the Quebec government says the plan was developed with energy distributors and draws inspiration from municipal regulations for new residential buildings.

Thanks to nearly $900 million in investments for energy efficiency under the 2030 green economy plan, combined with new regulatory measures from Bill 41, the government aims to double annual energy savings by 2030, the news release says.

In the release, Environment Minister Benoit Charette says, "We will implement measures to ensure an orderly transition to renewable energy while providing a gradual adaptation for consumers."