Potawatomi Breaks Ground on $18.6 million Renewable Energy Project in Menomonee Valley

The Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC) recently broke ground on its $18.6 million renewable energy facility in the Menomonee Valley.

The waste-to-energy project, one of the first of its kind in the Milwaukee-area, will convert waste materials generated by the food and beverage industries to electricity. The electricity produced will be sold to WE Energies as renewable energy. The installation is expected to produce approximately 2.0 megawatts (MW) of electrical power, which is enough electricity to power approximately 1,500 homes.

The facility is being developed one block west of Potawatomi Bingo Casino (PBC) on land owned by the FCPC. Construction of the facility is expected to create 75-100 construction jobs at its peak and another 5 full-time jobs when completed. Construction is estimated to last one year.

“This project is an example of how renewable energy projects can benefit both the environment and the local economy. It will not only keep waste from our landfills, but also provides opportunities to partner with other local businesses and industries,” said Jeff Crawford, Attorney General for the Forest County Potawatomi Community. “We hope that this project will allow others to see the many benefits that small-scale renewable energy projects can bring to communities.”

The Tribe partnered with several Wisconsin-based companies on this project. The biogas engines used in the facility were manufactured by General Electric at their Waukesha, Wis. plant. Neenah, Wis.-based Miron Construction Co., Inc. will provide overall project management and general contracting. Symbiont, Inc., which is headquartered in Milwaukee, will provide balance of plant engineering. West Allis, Wis.-based Advanced Waste Services, Inc. will be the provider of the feedstock material.

The U.S. Department of Energy and Focus on Energy also partnered with the FCPC on this project.

The construction of this project is one part of more than $200 million the Forest County Potawatomi Community is currently investing in the City of Milwaukee. In addition to developing a renewable energy facility, the Tribe is also currently developing a $36 million data center on the Concordia Trust property on Milwaukee’s near west side and a $150 million, 381-room hotel adjacent to Potawatomi Bingo Casino in the Menomonee Valley.

“The Forest County Potawatomi have called Milwaukee home for hundreds of years,” said Crawford. “We are proud of our ongoing investments in the area which help make Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, an even better place live and do business.”

Reported by:  The Community Journal