S.Idaho landfill may get into power business
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 11:23 AM PST
BURLEY (AP) — Operators of a southern Idaho landfill are studying the possibility of using methane gas generated by the massive trash pile to produce electricity for homes and businesses.
Officials at Southern Idaho Solid Waste say research is under way to determine if they can install methane-fueled power generators at its Milner Butte Landfill near Burley.
The landfill is a dumping point for garbage collected in seven south-central Idaho counties. The facility installed a methane gas collection system in September to comply with new federal regulations, and researchers are now testing and tracking data on the landfill’s gas flow rates.
Josh Bartlome, the environmental specialist conducting the system’s initial testing, says the gas is reaching flows between 315 and 330 standard cubic feet per minute, more than enough to support a full-scale generator in the future.