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| The City of Boise posts plaques on the buildings around town that use geothermal energy. |
After first floating the idea at the end of 2018, Boise City Council has decided to vote next month on setting a goal of having the entire city powered by renewable energy by 2040. Even though the goal is ambitious, city officials say it’s attainable by using energy efficiency and existing renewable resources, along with advocating for new sources of energy.
The draft plan laying out how the city is going to tackle the problem is available on the city’s website and will be open for public comment during the regular council meeting on April 2.
The City of Boise operates the largest direct-use geothermal system in the country. Boise's geothermal resource is unique and already serves a portion of the community’s buildings with renewable energy for space heating, water heating, and sidewalk snow melt.
The City utility plans to further expand the existing infrastructure and the amount of geothermal water that it can deliver into the future. Expanding the geothermal district opens the door to incorporating additional buildings as well as the potential for new and innovative renewable and waste heat resources.
To ensure the geothermal resource remains renewable, the City must continue to monitor the capacity and replenishment of the aquifer that provides the geothermal resource. If the aquifer remains at acceptable levels, the City plans to continue to apply for water rights and expand the geothermal system by 10 to 15 million gallons per year. Currently, there is good potential to add additional customers to the existing piping.
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