Firm Selected for Maui’s Waste-to-Energy Project

Puunene, Maui. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced today the selection of Anaergia Services for the county’s proposed Integrated Waste Conversion and Energy Project.

According to county officials, the Carlsbad, California-based company was selected from 20 proposals received.

The IWCEP is a waste management project that is designed to divert solid waste generated by Maui’s residents and businesses, using the material to produce renewable fuels.

“If we succeed we will have turned our trash into a treasured resource and kept our landfill from taking up more space on our beautiful island,” said Arakawa in a press release announcing the new development.

The county’s plans to covert trash into energy and lighten its carbon footprint by developing a waste conversion plant in Pu’unene was first announced a year ago.

Today, Arakawa detailed the benefits of the project saying:

“Living on an island we are always looking for ways to preserve our aina and make better use of our natural resources. That is why this IWCEP project is so important. We are looking at reducing waste in our landfill, cutting down the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, producing a clean bio-fuel for industrial consumers as well as greatly expanding the recycling of materials in our community.”

The Anaergia proposal reportedly involves the production of two renewable fuels–refuse derived fuel, and liquefied natural gas. County officials say the production is created through “mechanical treatment and anaerobic digestion methods.”

Various waste streams that are identified by the county for use in the project include: municipal solid waste, green waste, sewage sludge, fats, oils, grease, and landfill gas.

Mayor Arakawa said feedback will be sought from the public and the council on the project over the next few months.

“We will also be conducting a thorough environmental review to carefully assess the project’s impacts and benefits to our island’s sustainability,” said Arakwa in the county-issued media release.

The project “will result in avoided emissions equivalent of taking 25,000 cars off the road,” and will divert an estimated 85% of waste from the Central Maui Landfill, according to projections attributed by the County to Environmental Management Director Kyle Ginoza.