ZooShare: From Food Waste to Renewable Energy
Our biogas plant is turning inedible food waste into renewable power for the Ontario grid. A by-product of this process is fertilizer, which can help to grow local food.
Our Project
ZooShare has been generating and exporting clean, renewable energy since April 2021
Food Waste
We divert 15,000 tonnes of inedible food waste from landfills every year. We use that food waste to create renewable energy which powers over 250 homes in Ontario.
Impact
This process results in an annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 20,000 tonnes of CO2, and allows us to return valuable nutrients to the soil in the form of a high-quality fertilizer.
Mission
The ZooShare mission is to be a catalyst, through education and investment, in the growth of community-owned biogas plants.
Community
Our project is funded by people like you: Our renewable energy co-operative is made up of 800+ members who have invested over $7 million into the biogas project.
Project Management
Biogas is the gas created from the breakdown of organic waste. Biogas can be used as a cooking fuel, to power vehicles, and, in the case of ZooShare, to produce electricity.
Plant Tours
We offer tours of the Biogas plant to school groups throughout the year, and during summer to the general public. Click here to learn more.
The solution: Biogas
Biogas is the gas created from the breakdown of organic waste. The gas is formed when bacteria eat organic waste and release methane, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Instead of letting these greenhouse gases escape into the atmosphere, we capture the gas and store it until it can be used to create energy.
How Biogas Works
The Toronto Zoo recognizes its responsibility to act as a leader in environmental sustainability…We have supported the ZooShare biogas plant project from its inception and will continue to support less food waste in landfills, less greenhouse gas emissions and, hopefully, a more stable environment for Canada’s wildlife.”
Dolf DeJong
CEO, Toronto Zoo