Sludge Watch ==> Imperial Valley Renewable Energy - Geothermal and Sludge Biomass

[Maureen Reilly]

Imperial Valley ripe for renewable energy

PHOTO COURTESY CAL ENERGY
Imperial Valley Press


A geothermal plant employee works on equipment near the Salton Sea in this 
undated photo.
By JONATHAN DALE, Staff Writer
The Imperial Valley has become a virtual, and in some cases literal, hotbed 
for renewable energy.

Three modes of renewable energy have come to the forefront throughout the 
last year as being the veritable wave of the future locally  one that would 
help keep the Valley alive and well for years to come.

I see no other opportunity that would so rapidly increase employment, tax 
base and literal goods and services for the people of this county than 
renewable energy, Imperial County Supervisor Larry Grogan said. Click here 
for video.

We dont have a lot in the way of how we can bring economic development on 
quickly, he said. But with energy development, we already have the 
technology.

Under a law signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last year, power companies 
have until 2010 to get 20 percent of their electricity through renewable 
sources. Its a bill that is sending many companies scurrying here to make 
themselves legit.
Grogan is just one of several individuals who think the county needs to 
fully embrace the idea of energy-producing plants becoming a stable part of 
the Valley as both a means of having a never-ending supply of energy, and a 
bonus supply that can be sold off to surrounding areas.

There are very few locations that have the transmission ability and have the 
land and sun, and we have all three, Imperial Valley Economic Development 
Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Kelley said. This really 
gives us a great opportunity.

For me, its not just about generating electricity, he said. For me, were 
looking at a community that can be self-sufficient in terms of energy.




Geothermal plants to increase


The first form of renewable energy to be seriously considered locally is one 
that already exists in the form of several geothermal plants.

CalEnergy already has 10 geothermal plants with 285 employees locally, while 
Iceland American Energy has already begun operating out of one of three 
planned plants in Truckhaven west of the Salton Sea.

Yet there is still plenty of opportunity for geothermal plants to be placed 
in the Valley, as Kelley said just 10 percent of the local capacity for such 
energy is being used.

At the Salton Sea is approximately 2,000 megawatts of undeveloped power, 
Grogan said. Thats what the proven power energy reserve is just at the 
Salton Sea.

Brawley has a geothermal reservoir somewhere between 300 and 400 megawatts, 
and Truckhaven is already being drilled, he said.


PHOTO COURTESY LIBERTY ENERGY
An aerial photo provided by Liberty Energy shows the area where a proposed 
sludge-to-energy plant would be built in Niland.

Sludge into energy

One hotly debated proposal for renewable energy is the proposed Liberty 
Energy sludge-burning plant in Niland, which would convert waste into 
energy.

The sludge plant solves several problems, Grogan said. One, we are going to 
have to do something with sludge, period.

Land application is not the answer, he said. The sludge we produce now is 
higher in waste metals and pathogens, so the last thing that you want is for 
that stuff to be on the ground.

With the Valley still an agricultural area and feed lots scattered 
throughout, manure is another form of solid waste that may prove to be a 
problem in the coming years.

Luis Plancarte with Liberty Energy said plant officials are looking to break 
ground at the end of last year.

Its probably going to be sometime in February before the environmental 
impact report is completed for the community to look at and discuss, 
Plancarte said.

While the sludge plant would allegedly produce enough power for 15,000 
people  not to mention provide more than 250 jobs  there has been public 
opposition to the plant, something with which Grogan disagrees.

I think the thing we have to recognize is this is the wave of the future, he 
said. We cant continue to put this stuff on the ground.

It can contaminate water, and it can be spread from field to field, and I 
think that could cause a real disaster for the Valley, he said. But burning 
it, I think is a real opportunity.

Looking ahead

The bottom line is that renewable energy could be the next huge market to 
hit the Valley since its pioneers found the land to be ripe for agriculture.

It doesnt matter whether you are pro-environment or you dont care, Kelley 
said. This is a real benefit for everyone in the Valley.