Boise Airport and other Idaho facilities to switch to clean energy

BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise is a step closer to making the city’s climate a little cleaner and the Boise Airport is one of many facilities helping the city reach its 2030 clean energy goal.

In partnership with the Boise Airport, Idaho Power, and others the city of Boise has announced the powering of the Boise Airport and the Landers Street Water Renewal Facility with 100 percent clean energy.

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, Idaho Power COO Adam Richins, Boise Airport director Rebecca Hupp, and City of Boise Public Works Director Steve Burgos were all in attendance for the announcement.

According to Mayor Lauren McLean, “Idaho Power can now offer clean electricity to those customers who want it, and so in an agreement with Idaho Power we’re getting clean electricity that’s produced in Elmore County to power our airport and our water renewal facility.”

Through Idaho Power’s “Clean Energy Your Way”program, the entire airport will be run by solar energy.

“One hundred percent clean electricity means that over the course of an average year we’re sourcing enough electricity generated from a renewable energy facility, and in this instance, it’s a solar facility that’s called Black Mesa that’s located out in Elmore County,” says Steven Hubble, Climate Action Manager for Boise Public Works.

According to Rebecca Hupp, Boise Airport Director, the airport is the city’s largest publicly owned and operated facility. The goal is to have the entire city government using 100% clean electricity by 2030. With the airport’s shift, this will make 26 percent of Boise’s government’s power clean energy.

“We’ve been working to transition to clean energy over several years, this is going to take us leaps and bounds from where we have been. It’s going to provide clean energy into the future and it’s going to do it in a way where it’s economical and affordable,” says Hupp.

The contract will be presented before the City Council on Tuesday, October 10th, with hopes of pushing forward with approvals.

“A big part of our climate action plan was securing new clean electricity,” said Mayor McLean. “We wanted to make sure with our dollars we’re powering our buildings with new clean electricity. This is a huge step and the council agrees that this is important, and I look forward to making this official tomorrow.”