Canadian Biogas Investments Inc. (CBI), a Calgary-based company specializing in dry-fermentation anaerobic digestion projects, has appointed veteran investment leader James B. (Jim) Hartwell as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Hartwell will also step into the position of Board Chair.
With more than 40 years of experience in the investment sector, Hartwell will oversee CBI’s strategic growth, operations, and capital-raising efforts as the company works to scale its renewable natural gas (RNG) portfolio across Canada. His leadership is expected to play a key role in advancing CBI’s mission to develop large, financeable biogas infrastructure that supports investors while delivering value to agricultural producers and rural communities, reported Bioenergy Insight.
As per the news report, CBI is the exclusive Canadian license holder for Renergon’s solid-state anaerobic digestion (RDS) system—a dry-fermentation technology that converts cattle manure into renewable natural gas, carbon credits, and nutrient-rich compost. The RDS platform is engineered to handle higher-solids feedstocks while using less water, producing fewer odours, offering greater operational stability, and requiring a smaller footprint than traditional wet digestion systems—all without compromising methane output.
The company’s inaugural commercial project will be constructed at the Driland Feeders feedlot in Warner County, Alberta, owned and operated by Jacob Bueckert. Expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027, the facility is designed to process around 80,000 tonnes of cattle manure each year and generate roughly 250,000 GJ of pipeline-quality RNG, the news report further added.
To bring the project to completion, CBI has assembled a consortium of partners: CANA Construction will lead design and project management; Obsidian Engineering will serve as the principal engineering consultant; Green Analytics will handle environmental services; and EXP will provide regulatory guidance.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Canadian Biogas at such an important moment,” Hartwell said. “Renergon’s RDS technology, together with strong collaborators like Driland Feeders, CANA Construction, Obsidian Engineering, Green Analytics, and EXP, positions us to deliver scalable low-carbon energy solutions and achieve meaningful methane reductions across Canada’s cattle industry.”
