Businesses turn waste into electricity in Idaho

The Ada County landfill’s new gas-to-energy system is the first of its kind in Idaho, but it might not be the only one for long.

The company that built the landfill system is looking at another possible landfill project in Idaho, and at least two other projects are under way in the state to convert methane gas produced from animal manure into environmentally friendly energy.

The Ada County landfill unveiled its methane-fueled electrical generation plant last week. The new plant uses methane gas, produced by decomposing trash, to generate electricity to be sold to Idaho Power Co. Wells buried in the landfill collect methane and funnel it through pipes into a new machine that cleans the gas so it can be used to power engines and create enough power for 2,400 homes. The landfill burned the gas using flares before the new system was installed.

Melissa McGrath
Idaho Statesman

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