Jul 22 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bill Jackson Greeley Tribune, Colo.



Weld County commissioners approved plans Wednesday to build a solid waste disposal site that will turn cattle manure into a gas that could supply power to as many as 22,000 homes.

Heartland Renewable Energy of Longmont plans to build the facility off Weld County Road 49 near the intersection with Weld County Road 40, about 10 miles east of Gilcrest. It will feature 24 covered anaerobic digesters, each about the size of an Olympic swimming pool, said Tom Haren, president of AGPROfessionals. His company represented Heartland and the landowner, Ron Shelton, who has a dairy near the proposed facility. AGPROfessionals specializes in the design and construction of agricultural operations.

Haren said the company hopes to start building the facility, which he said is the first of its kind in Colorado, by the end of the year.

In addition to the anaerobic digesters, the facility also will include a composting operation. The digesters, Haren said, will produce methane gas and carbon dioxide using manure from dairies and feedlots, acceptable fats, oils and grease, as well as food waste from restaurants, brewery operations and grocery stores in northern Colorado.

 The digesters will produce about 60 percent methane gas, which will be converted to pipeline-ready gas and transported by a Colorado Interstate Gas line that runs north and south near the proposed facility. The rest will be carbon dioxide that will be used by, among others, medical and welding industries. The remaining material will be composted and returned to agricultural operations or used by landscapers.

"Essentially, (the digesters) are a big stomach that needs to be fed constantly," Haren said. Traffic control was a major issue at the facility, since trucks will be bringing waste material to the plant. There is one access into the facility, and when that is built acceleration and deceleration lanes will be built.

Commission Chairman Doug Rademacher noted that "some of the material coming in can be obnoxious" and asked Haren if any of it would need to be stored outdoors. Haren said solid material will be the only substance that will be outside for any length of time, "but we have limited storage capability," adding the material will be fed into the digesters at a constant rate.

Three oil companies that have wells on the site did not object to the facility after meeting with Heartland. Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer reviewed the surface agreement between all those involved to ensure there would be no problems in the future.

All four commissioners -- Bill Garcia was excused -- expressed excitement over getting the renewable energy facility in Weld.

"This has been very well thought-out," Dave Long said.

Later in the day, commissioners unanimously approved the expansion of the Marcellina Dairy, southeast of La Salle. The dairy has about 1,000 animals and seeks to expand to 1,400, but the number of cows being milked -- 600-700 -- will remain the same. The other animals will include dry cows, heifers and calves. The dairy is owned and operated by Roswell and Kerry Checketts.

 

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