ADA COUNTY, Idaho — A new facility at the Ada County Landfill is now converting harmful landfill gases into renewable natural gas, marking the first operation of its kind in the State of Idaho.
The Hidden Hollow renewable natural gas (RNG) plant filters gases produced by decomposing organic materials in trash into useful methane.
"This is the first facility of its kind in Idaho," said Ahren Tryon, Biogas Development CEO. "Think of this as a massive filtration device."
Biogas Development previously partnered with the landfill to operate generators that converted some of the landfill gas into electricity, but Ada County's rapid growth called for a new, more efficient solution.
"This is the product of many, many decades of science and engineering ingenuity," Tryon said. "So all the cities, six cities in the county, are expanding rapidly, and more trash coming into the landfill creates a lot more landfill gas."
Before this new facility, much of the gas produced at the landfill was simply burned off rather than utilized.
"Now it's getting used, it's getting processed, and it's clean energy," said Ada County Commission Chairman Rod Beck.
Beck says the $50 million facility was built without any taxpayer money and will actually generate income for the county — keeping landfill costs down for residents.
"It's going to be a wonderful thing for the community because the county receives royalties from the methane gas that comes out of the landfill," Beck said. "This will contribute to the enterprise fund that we operate the landfill with."
The RNG plant is connected to the Intermountain Gas pipeline.
Tyron says the majority of the renewable natural gas produced at the facility will power low-emission vehicles like garbage trucks, delivery vehicles, and buses. Industrial customers will also benefit from the new renewable source.
