Energy park eyed for former FMC site – Businessman envisions thousands of new jobs in Pocatello, ID

The president of a natural resources company based in Idaho Falls told members of the Idaho Optimum Initiative committee Wednesday the former FMC Corp. site could be the catalyst of a plan to create thousands of jobs in the area.

By Sean Ellis – Journal Writer

Dennis Keiser, president and CEO of Intrepid Technology and Resources Inc., said the 1,500-acre site would be an ideal location to create a demonstration site for renewable and alternative energy development.

It would be part of a larger plan to establish east Idaho as a center for renewable and alternative energy development.

"I personally think we could comfortably (create) 5,000-10,000 jobs here in the valley," said Keiser, whose company completed a study on the FMC site’s assets.

"I really believe the opportunities are out there. We just have to put together a development plan, have a concerted, public effort and go make it happen."

The Idaho Optimum Initiative is a group of experts in various fields appointed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne in January to deal with the former phosphorous plant’s future.

Advantages of the site include 500 million gallons of water rights per day, natural gas rights-of-way and an extensive rail system and power grid.

Instead of concentrating on just one use for the site, Keiser suggested it be used as an energy park comprising several different uses concentrating on renewable and alternative energies.

They could feed off each other and draw in supporting industries such as component manufacturers and engineering and technical support businesses.

"I thought it was a very informative meeting and I thought there were some good things brought up," said LeMoyne Hyde, Idaho’s new commerce director.

"We just need to study them … until we figure out what’s going to work."

Keiser said the presence of Hyde, a veteran Idaho Falls businessman, at the meeting was significant.

"I see him as being a spark plug," he said. "This guy is really going to drive things. That’s going to be a huge plus for us."

Bannock Development Corp. Executive Director Ray Burstedt said Keiser’s ideas sounded very promising.

"This could be phenomenal. There are infrastructure capabilities at that site that would make that an easy place for (these industries) to locate," he said.

"I thought the meeting today was really exciting because it showed us how we could tie a lot of little things together and come up with a pretty dynamic project for the community, particularly where we would be on the leading edge of energy research in the nation," said Mayor Roger Chase.

Keiser said there will soon be renewable fuel standards in the United States.

"I think overall the renewable alternative energy business in this country is going to be very large," he said. "A substantial portion of our energy base in this country will be supplied by renewable energy."

Keiser’s ideas include:

n Building a corn-fed ethanol plant in Power County that could produce 40 million gallons of ethanol per year. The plant could be converted in the future to use cellulose from wheat and barley straw and wood.

The area around Bingham, Power, Bonneville and northern Bannock counties has the highest concentration of wheat and barley straw in the nation, outside of northwest Texas, Keiser said.

He said a number of companies have come to the valley during the past six months to look at the area’s cellulose supply.

He said cellulose will replace corn as the feedstock of choice for ethanol and bio-mass facilities in the future and Idaho should spearhead the development of a cellulose economy.

He said Idaho has the available cellulose to produce about 150 billion gallons of ethanol.

"It doesn’t take too much imagination to figure out this really could be a huge industry for the state of Idaho. I think Idaho absolutely must really get on with this cellulose economy and convert its huge, huge, huge amount of cellulose into ethanol and other chemicals."

* Using animal waste from cattle feed and dairy operations to produce bio-gas, which can be used to produce electricity or bio-fertilizer.

Ultimately, it could be used to power fuel cells to produce electricity. He said fuel cell technology is also starting to take off and major fuel cell companies could be enticed to come to the area if it gets a jump on fuel cell research.

* Clean coal combustion. "I know there’s a lot of concern that coal combustion to produce electricity is just an old smoke stack industry. I’m not convinced that’s true. I think we ought to look at that."

* Wind to generate power. Wind power is becoming competitive with other low-cost energy sources, said Bob Picard, an associate professor of business at Idaho State University. "It’s clearly viable and competitive at this point."

Also during the meeting:

* David Schropshire of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory said the site is already involved in most of those areas and could lend critical support or help with those type of projects.

"We would certainly like to work toward finding opportunities and solutions together," said Schropshire, a member of the INEEL Fossil Energies Group. "INEEL’s expertise and resources can be brought to bear on projects you may want to have here in Pocatello."

* ISU engineering professor Al Stephens brought up the idea of creating a research and development project to develop expertise in the combined production of hydrogen gas and the disposal of carbon dioxide, and to improve the thermodynamic efficiency of the nation’s 100 nuclear power plants.

He said it would be a small project employing 25-30 people, but would build Pocatello’s reputation as an area where high-tech ideas are being implemented.

It would occupy a small portion of the FMC site.

"When you look at ethanol and wind power and the possibility of some energy research being brought to Pocatello, that’s some great potential and I think it’s the right way to go," Chase said. "A lot of this stuff actually just mixes and matches perfectly."

Sean Ellis covers local government and business for the Journal. He can be reached at 239-6001 or [email protected].

Future of FMC plant site

– What: Discussion about the future of the former FMC Corp. site.

– What’s going on: An ongoing look at the future of the former phosphorous site by the Idaho Optimum Initiate, a group of experts appointed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to deal with the site’s future.

– What happened Wednesday: The president of a natural resources company told IOI members the site could be used as a demonstration site for renewable and alternative energy development.

– What’s next: A final report will be completed by June 28 and sent to the governor.

The Idaho Optimum Initiative

The Idaho Optimum Initiative, a group of experts in various fields appointed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne in January to deal with the former FMC Corp. plant’s future, is close to making a final recommendation.

The group will meet again in mid-June and draft a final report by June 28 to send to the governor. Committee member will have at least two more opportunities to comment on the proposals.

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