Left, Village of Plover President Dan Schlutter with Clerk Karen Swanson. (City-Times photo)

By Donnelly Clare
The Village of Plover is considering a request from an out-of-state company looking to construct a methane gas plant.

According to Administrator Dan Mahoney, the village was approached by the California- based Weissmann Group which is looking to build a biofuel plant somewhere in Plover.

Mahoney said the first step in the process was conducting a study to determine if such a plant was economically feasible. Stevens Point- based engineering firm AECOM has been hired to perform the study, for which Wiessmann is paying.

“Basically what they have the possibility of constructing is an organic waste biofuel facility. The first step in the process would be for them to find within a 25 and 50 mile radius a waste stream of 100,000 tons,” Mahoney said.

According to village documents, Weissmann is working with the University of California on the project, for which it earns tax credits, but is unable to find a suitable location within that state.

Mahoney said the plant would need to be constructed close to an existing natural gas pipeline and would be operated by Weissmann.

Mahoney said everything from vegetative scraps of potato and green bean waste to farm waste as well as matter from waste water treatment plants could be used for transformation into methane gas.

“From an environmental standpoint, it’s a really, really good thing because you’re reducing your carbon footprint,” he added. “Frankly it’s something a lot of business owners have been looking at for a long time. The process, in the end, fell apart because they were looking to other companies to build and operate the plant, making the costs more than double.”

This project is different, he said, because a company specializing in green energy is spearheading the project and tax credits from California will benefit its construction locally.

Should the study find the village meet s the 100,000 ton waste stream minimum, Mahoney said the Weissmann has already agreed to a 10- year minimum contract to stay in Plover.

“Maybe I’m looking a bit too far ahead right now, but is there a perspective site?” Asked Board Member Andrew Timm. Timm, the Board’s newest member elected as a write-in candidate in April, said he was excited about the project but wanted more details.

“They haven’t talked to us about a site yet- the next step is proof of feasbility,” Mahoney said. “But the site is required to be near a pipline and there are two: one is just east of Del Monte, and the other is in Pines Corporate Centre. I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, because this is just exploratory right now, but there are some neat opportunities here to do an educational center and really get into this, not just do the water energy thing.”

AECOM will work with UW-Extension offices, Portage County Planning and Zoning and various waste haulers to complete its research. While AECOM estimates about 80 hours of work for the project, no completion date has been announced.