Greeley to turn ag roots into economic development plus

GREELEY – The city of Greeley wants to build on its agricultural roots and turn ag waste into energy for business and industry within a planned Clean Energy Park.

The city has received an $82,489 New Energy Economic Development, or NEED, grant from Gov. Bill Ritter’s Energy Office to study the feasibility of developing such a park just east of downtown Greeley.

The Clean Energy Park, if feasible, would be located within the Western Sugar Tax Increment Financing District where Leprino Foods intends to build a cheese factory.

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A central feature of the park would be an anaerobic digester that could take organic waste from Leprino and JBS-Swift and produce biogas to serve the energy needs of business and industry within the park.

Bruce Biggi, Greeley’s economic development manager, said he’s gotten letters of support from Leprino, JBS, Agland, Xcel Energy, Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado and former Sen. Ken Salazar’s office. Salazar is the newly appointed Secretary of the Interior.

“Everybody’s on board conceptually, but we have to prove it technically,” Biggi said. “The proof is in the pudding.”

Biggi said one of the goals of the Clean Energy Park is to serve as an economic development tool for the city, helping to attract new business and industry to Greeley while building on relationships with existing businesses like JBS and soon-to-come businesses like Leprino.

Biggi said the study will help identify potential power benefits from the biogas for companies that locate within the 225-acre TIF district, which could be expanded if interest warrants it.

Megan Castle, spokeswoman for the Governor’s Energy Office, said the project has exciting possibilities. “It’s very attractive on a number of levels,” she said. “Obviously, the agricultural opportunities for the generation of biogas and greenhouse gas reductions are tremendous. We think this could be a model for other ag communities throughout the state and the nation.”

With Weld County being the eighth-largest agricultural producer in the United States, Biggi said the project has the potential to position Greeley as a leader in agricultural energy technology.

“It certainly has the potential of enlarging our image by combining ag with technology into the 21st century and benefiting all,” he said. “How do we differentiate ourselves and attract business? It’s so much easier to be who you are and build on your strengths.”

-Steve Porter