 |
| Entering Hidden Hollow County's Sanitary Landfill. Courtesy: Ada County. |
The alternative energy company captures methane gas from
decomposing trash at the Hidden Hollow landfill to generate 3.2 MW of power,
which it then sells to Idaho Power. Hidden Hollow Energy LLC and Hidden Hollow
Energy 2 LLC filed a $30 million claim on Tuesday, July 24th,
accusing Ada County officials of breach of contract.
Hidden Hollow Energy says that the county’s contract with
Dynamis to provide 408 tons of trash per day that would otherwise go to the
landfill undercuts promises Ada County made to them. The local company has been
in operation since 2006 at the landfill and could lose approximately one-third
of its daily landfill stream if the Dynamis project is completed.
While Hidden Hollow Energy 2’s motivation for action is
likely a financial one since the company is currently trying to expand its
operations by building on the existing pipeline structure, what concerns us is
that some citizens back landfilling over a waste-to-energy project because only
one side of the story has been told.
We have always supported transparency from companies in
terms of technology and emissions and have repeatedly called on Dynamis to be
more proactive in educating the public. But the fact remains that the
alternative to a waste-to-energy project is far more damaging.
| North Ravine Landfill at Hidden Hollow County Landfill. Courtesy: Ada County. |
Waste-to-energy projects heat up the trash at very high
temperatures, which turns it into ash. The concern comes from the dioxins it
creates in the process, which were a problem in the early days of the
technology and could be toxic if ingested. However, advancements in technology
mean that today’s plants have advanced emissions control systems, which are
capable of delivering a very clean solution. The trace amounts of dioxins it emits
can be regulated and closely monitored.
Landfilling, by contrast, leaks methane and other
greenhouses as it decomposes. The EPA estimates that the best landfill gas
collection systems collect only 75% of the gas and most systems hover between
47-50%. Additionally it reports that burning landfill gas for energy releases
20-40% more greenhouse gas pollution than flaring.
In fact, in June 2011 it came to Idaho DEQ’s attention that
“certain contaminant levels had increased to a level such that Ada County was
no longer in compliance with its existing air quality permit.” Ada County,
Idaho DEQ and Hidden Hollow Energy have worked to find a solution but have not
been successful. Idaho Power severed its power purchase agreement with Hidden
Hollow Energy as a result of the company failing to meet its operation deadline
of Feb. 28, 2012.
Both Dynamis and Hidden Hollow Energy have applied for air
permits from the Idaho DEQ. Dynamis will have a three-month wait followed by a
time of public comment. Ada County has 90 days to answer Hidden Hollow Energy’s
tort claim before a civil lawsuit can be filed. While we have not seen the
agreement between Hidden Hollow Energy and Ada County, it would be highly
unlikely that the county would have entered into an agreement with Dynamis to
provide trash it knew it couldn’t deliver.
Let the circus continue.
Energy Company Files Claim Against Ada
County – CNBC (July 26, 2012)
Dynamis
Faces Long Process – By Sean Olson, Idaho
Business Review (July 27, 2012)
20120713
Formal Complaint – Hidden Hollow Energy 2 LLC vs. Idaho Power Company (July
13, 2012)
Fact Sheet:
Landfill Gas – Energy Justice.net
