County debates Carolina North energy concerns
By: Karin Dryhurst, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Online Exclusives
The Orange County Board of Commissioners considered a partnership with Carolina North on Thursday in which energy for the campus would be generated from methane gas collected from landfills.
Representatives from Olver Inc., the county's engineering consultant, addressed the board about the possibility of using landfill gas energy for a project on Eubanks Road and the Carolina North project.
Bob Sallach, president of Olver, said he does not consider a group of buildings planned for Eubanks Road large enough to make landfill gas energy generation ideal.
But he said the application of the project would be economically viable at Carolina North, when avoided energy costs and the sales of energy back to the state are taken into consideration.
Commissioner Mike Nelson said he is on board and ready to go with the process of implementing the project.
"We're just sitting there with a landfill," he said. "It's a product we can make some money off of. Methane is, if not one of, the nastiest greenhouse gases. Why not get it out of the atmosphere?"
Board Vice Chairman Barry Jacobs said it seemed like a "good opportunity to reuse and to do what we would like to see the industry do, which is convert waste into product."
Jacobs noted the importance of engaging the town of Chapel Hill, which he said has stressed the possible energy demands of Carolina North.
"They could sink this in a heartbeat, or they could facilitate it," he said.
Sallach said the University already has shown interest in the project.
Commissioners also heard from the economic development commission and their efforts to identify industries to target for the county's economic development districts.
Dianne Reid, director of the county economic development commission, said the county should take advantage of the proximity of the University and its research and faculty by attracting industries related to public health, biological agents and infectious diseases and computing.
Commissioner Alice Gordon asked Reid to flesh out information on these types of industries that might cause community concerns.
"People are very concerned that something might be let loose," she said. "I want more evaluation about that. We're talking about heavy duty stuff."
Reid said other industries were considered for some of the districts, including housing, offices, retail and destination stores, such as IKEA.
Nelson said he thought it would be in the county's interest to take a look at attracting the renewable energy industry.
"There's a tremendous amount of economic opportunities," he said. "Venture capital firms are starting to put a lot into energy.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
Representatives from Olver Inc., the county's engineering consultant, addressed the board about the possibility of using landfill gas energy for a project on Eubanks Road and the Carolina North project.
Bob Sallach, president of Olver, said he does not consider a group of buildings planned for Eubanks Road large enough to make landfill gas energy generation ideal.
But he said the application of the project would be economically viable at Carolina North, when avoided energy costs and the sales of energy back to the state are taken into consideration.
Commissioner Mike Nelson said he is on board and ready to go with the process of implementing the project.
"We're just sitting there with a landfill," he said. "It's a product we can make some money off of. Methane is, if not one of, the nastiest greenhouse gases. Why not get it out of the atmosphere?"
Board Vice Chairman Barry Jacobs said it seemed like a "good opportunity to reuse and to do what we would like to see the industry do, which is convert waste into product."
Jacobs noted the importance of engaging the town of Chapel Hill, which he said has stressed the possible energy demands of Carolina North.
"They could sink this in a heartbeat, or they could facilitate it," he said.
Sallach said the University already has shown interest in the project.
Commissioners also heard from the economic development commission and their efforts to identify industries to target for the county's economic development districts.
Dianne Reid, director of the county economic development commission, said the county should take advantage of the proximity of the University and its research and faculty by attracting industries related to public health, biological agents and infectious diseases and computing.
Commissioner Alice Gordon asked Reid to flesh out information on these types of industries that might cause community concerns.
"People are very concerned that something might be let loose," she said. "I want more evaluation about that. We're talking about heavy duty stuff."
Reid said other industries were considered for some of the districts, including housing, offices, retail and destination stores, such as IKEA.
Nelson said he thought it would be in the county's interest to take a look at attracting the renewable energy industry.
"There's a tremendous amount of economic opportunities," he said. "Venture capital firms are starting to put a lot into energy.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
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