Frequently Asked Questions

Renewable energy is any source of energy that can be renewed naturally fast enough to be considered inexhaustible within the human time scale.

• Biogas (Renewable natural gas)
• Solar power
• Wind power
• Hydropower
• Geothermal power
• Tidal power

Gas from renewable sources is renewable gas produced from organic waste (biomass) coming from farms, forests, landfill sites and water treatment plants. It can be used for the same applications as conventional natural gas. This fully renewable energy has several advantages, including a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by avoiding methane emissions linked to burying organic residual materials. Green hydrogen is also considered a renewable source gas.

When you purchase a certain volume of GRS, it means that amount will be injected into the natural gas distribution system. Once injected, GRS gets mixed in with the traditional natural gas that is already in the distribution system supplying our customers. There is no separate GRS distribution system whereby GRS gets directly delivered to customers. Purchasing GRS means buying the green attributes of that product.

• Completely renewable
• Replaces fossil energy with renewable energy
• Avoids methane emissions from buried organic waste

• Voluntary and flexible: for now, anyone buying GRS does so on a voluntary basis. Customers can choose to take 1% to 100% of their gas consumption as GRS.
• Clean and eco-friendly: GRS enables customers to reduce their carbon footprint and take action.
• No change in equipment! This energy source is distributed and used in the same way as conventional natural gas, but it’s green!
• Cancellation: It’s easy to cancel your GSR membership at any time by calling 819-771-8321 or emailing gsr@enbridge.com.

• If renewable sourced gas were not produced, any gas emanating from our household waste would either be released into the atmosphere in the form of methane (which is 25 times more harmful than CO2 during combustion) or incinerated in biomethanation plants, which has the same impact in terms of GHG emissions when the gas is consumed as natural gas.
• To avoid those two scenarios, we give this gas a second life by recovering, cleaning and injecting it into the gas system to replace fossil natural gas. Waste recovery is the perfect example of the circular economy because we use that gas as an energy source. Thus, we can confirm that gas from renewable sources is carbon neutral because it does not contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Between 2020 and 2022, Enbridge Gaz Québec injected 1% GRS into its system, and 2% in 2023 and 2024, with the aim of 5% starting in 2025. That percentage is a requirement set by the provincial government, which does not prevent us from increasing it faster if there is sufficient demand and supply.

You can choose to designate between 1% and 100% of your consumption at the GRS rate. However, you must understand that the Government of Quebec has asked [1] Enbridge Gaz Québec to deliver 2% of GRS in 2024 and 5% of GRS in 2025. The costs associated with this obligation will be passed on to all customers if the goals above are not reached through voluntary opting in.

Thus, by opting for the GRS rate, you are voluntarily contributing to reaching that goal, and by agreeing to opt for at least 2% per month, or the equivalent of 24% annually for 2024 (monthly percentage of GRS chosen by the customer (%) multiplied by the number of months opted in), you will likely pay off your portion of that obligation. For 2025, it will be necessary to opt in at least 5% per month, or the equivalent of 60% annually to be subtracted from socialization.

If Enbridge Gaz Québec does not manage to sell its customers enough GRS through voluntary opting in and has to bill its customers to meet its obligation, you will be exempted by having opted for 2% per month at the GRS rate in 2024 or 5% per month in 2025.

[1] Règlement concernant la quantité de gaz de source renouvelable devant être livrée par un distributeur : https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/rc/R-6.01,%20r.%204.3

All GRS supply contracts must be approved by the Régie de l’énergie. Enbridge Gaz Québec is pursuing every opportunity to secure competitively priced GRS contracts. Consequently, its annual GRS needs can be met through different green energy producers.

In general, the molecular price of GRS will not fluctuate in a given year because Enbridge Gaz Québec knows the price of its upcoming supplies by the time it sets the molecular price of GRS for that year.

That being said, the GRS rate will vary from quarter to quarter because it takes into consideration adjustment related to the cost of transportation, the molecule of gas and carbon emission credits, which are modified every quarter.

A calculator is available on our Web site at www.enbridgegaz.com to easily estimate the percentage point cost of GRS.

The costs associated with acquiring GRS stem from Quebec’s Regulation respecting the quantity of gas from renewable sources to be delivered by a distributor, and aims to position Quebec as a leader in the area of renewable energy by placing consumers at the centre of the initiatives. Enbridge Gaz Québec, like every natural gas distributor, is required to deliver a certain quantity of renewable natural gas annually to meet the obligation, and the costs associated with that process must subsequently be recovered from customers.*

*Analyse d’impact réglementaire – Projet de règlement concernant la quantité de gaz naturel renouvelable devant être livrée par un distributeur – Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles (August 2018 and February 2019).

Since 2020, we have been offering our customers the chance to contribute to a better environment by opting for the GRS rate. Customers who voluntarily agree to designate part of their consumption at the GRS rate support the GRS case and help reduce GHG and methane emissions. We are confident that over time, recognition of the ecological benefits of renewable sourced gas will enable sufficient customers to opt in voluntarily and cost sharing will no longer be necessary.

All residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers are subject to the adjustment approved by the Régie de l’énergie. However, customers who have already voluntarily subscribed to the GSR tariff at a minimum rate of 2% per month for 2023 (24% for the entire year) are exempt from the socialization of costs for the year 2025.

Customers who do not comply with the GSR in 2023 will be billed based on their monthly consumption in 2025, multiplied by the socialization rate of 2.12 ȼ/m³. As Enbridge Gaz Québec purchases the minimum GSR to fulfill its regulatory obligations, the costs that are not recovered from the voluntary sale of GSR volumes in 2023 will be invoiced to the non-voluntary customers in 2023.

If you did not participate in the GSR rate of at least 2% from January to December 2023, your 2025 monthly bill will be adjusted for unsold volumes from 2023.

At year-end, we compare the percentage sold to our obligation and adjust if needed by the next year. For instance, any unsold balance at 2024’s end will be adjusted by January 1, 2026. If all inventory is sold, no cost sharing is required.

The Quebec government has mandated Enbridge Gaz Québec to supply 5% renewable gas starting in 2025, up from 2% in 2023 and 2024. By opting for at least 5% monthly from January 2025, you can avoid a GSR rate adjustment in 2027. If you previously chose a lower percentage, Enbridge Gaz Québec recommends increasing it.

Yes, absolutely! Additional contribution remains voluntary and flexible. We invite you to complete the form OR to contact our customer service at 819-771-8321.