Plan advances for newly named ‘Alton Organic Energy’ center
Plans are moving forward with Alton’s resource recovery center. At the Alton City Council meeting on Wednesday evening, the official name was approved, as well as the next steps in the development and construction of the facility.
The facility, which was formerly referred to as “Aton Resource Recovery Facility” has been named “Alton Organic Energy.”
The City Council and city of Alton endorsed the development of Alton Organic Energy, as it will promote the goals of reducing waste to landfill facilities and will promote the development of clean energy. The facility will take advantage of federal and state carbon credits available to facilities that produce renewable natural gas from organic waste products. By leveraging the value of these credits, the city can establish a regional operation designed to provide jobs, generate substantial cashflow, and have a positive impact on the environment.
“Alton Organic Energy is indeed unique, highly forward-thinking and, in effect, a ‘first-of-its-kind’. There are no other facilities like it in the United States,” said Steve Gibson, wastewater treatment manager. “This facility addresses a common problem faced by many municipalities — that is, the proper and cost-effective disposal of biosolids.”
It is projected that Alton Organic Energy will accept and digest approximately 550 tons per day of substrates. The gas that is produced at the facility will offset the use of about 7,700 gallons of diesel fuel every day. The facility will serve as a model for future waste-to-energy projects looking to utilize municipal biosolids, animal manure, and other cellulosic wastes as substrate for energy generation.
The next steps for the development of the facility will be to acquire land and pipeline interconnection contracts, as well as feedstock contracts, secure financing, and finalize the facility’s design. The city will retain various consulting engineers and experts with plans and business models that create no financial risks to the taxpayers of the city.
For more information about the Alton Organic Energy project, call Gibson at (618) 463-3358.
