Sustainable Business Park

Latest Updates on Sustainable Business Park

• $10M in state funding to back Kent County Sustainable Business Park – Crain’s Grand Rapids
• The Sustainable Business Park Stakeholder Advisory Group completed their work with the primary recommendation: “Create a countywide integrated waste and materials management system that includes Waste-to-Energy, Recycling & Education Center, North Kent Transfer Station and the new Kent County Bioenergy Facility (KCBF) at the Sustainable Business Park, allowing for the closure of South Kent Landfill and landfill operations in Kent County by 2030.” Final report, minutes, agendas and presentations.
• On June 15, the Board of Public Works engaged in a work session to review the latest information about the proposed Kent County Bioenergy Facility at the Sustainable Business Park. A video of the full work session is available.

Anaergia Presentation – June 15

Kent County DPW Work Session Presentation – June 15

• On July 13, the Board of Public Works approved several necessary items related to the Kent County Bioenergy Facility. The Kent County Bioenergy Facility, which is a public-private partnership between Anaergia and the Kent County DPW, is a mixed waste processing facility that will process up to 600,000 tons per year of municipal solid waste and 175,000 tons per year of organic material to produce renewable natural gas and fertilizer. A video of the July 13 board meeting is available.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Sustainable Business Park and Kent County Bioenergy Facility

Support the Sustainable Business Park

Is reducing waste and maximizing material recovery important to you or your company? Add your name to the Sustainable Business Park supporters by filling out the contact form at the bottom of the page!

Project Overview

Planning Process

We’ve brought together national and local experts to create a plan to make West Michigan a leader in waste recovery.

Kent County DPW engaged local stakeholders, gathered data, conducted site tours, and prioritizing project goals to determine the feasibility of a Sustainable Business Park on 250 acres of land adjacent to the landfill. The Project Master Plan was approved in 2018 and allowed DPW staff to refine what we learned about the necessary improvements, costs, funding sources and a work toward an implementation schedule.

As part of the plan, the DPW is actively working with the business community to attract potential tenants and complementary technologies to minimize the gap between planning and implementation. The first tenant has been recommended and, if approved, would provide secondary and tertiary tenants with feedstock to build circularity within the Park and within West Michigan.

If you are interested in being a tenant of the Sustainable Business Park, please let us know by filling out the contact form below.

Project Master Plan

The FINAL Sustainable Business Park Master Plan was presented to the Kent County Board of Public Works on October 4, 2018 during a regularly scheduled board meeting. The BPW approved the Sustainable Business Park (SBP) Master Plan and authorized the Director to form a business development team to advance proposals for development of the SBP.

• Kent County Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• Executive Summary of Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• Appendices A-M, Kent County Sustainable Business Park Master Plan
• Presentation to Board of Public Works (8/2/18)

On November 27, 2018, Kent County presented an overview of the recommendations to a group of interested stakeholders as a conclusion to the master planning phase of the Sustainable Business Park project.

• Presentation to Stakeholders – November 27, 2018

Community members representing a variety of perspectives worked closely with Kent County staff and contractors to provide feedback on the proposed technologies and processes included in the Project Master Plan.

Anchor Tenant Request for Proposals

On September 30, 2020, Kent County received nine (9) responses to a Request for Proposals for the ‘anchor tenant’ at the Sustainable Business Park. The anchor tenant would receive a large fraction of mixed waste currently being delivered to Kent County DPW facilities or leaving the county to area landfills, process the waste to separate the components and begin to move the waste into markets for reuse or recycling.

The request for proposals (RFP) for an anchor tenant was a key step in identifying a company with the proven technology to convert a significant portion of the 654,000 tons of municipal solid waste being landfilled by residents and businesses each year into raw material for new products and kicks off the economic development process to attract additional tenants. With potential tenants at the ready, investments in critical infrastructure are needed to secure this project as the success story for changing how we look at discards – from disposal to development.

Community members representing a variety of perspectives worked closely with Kent County staff and contractors to provide feedback on the proposed technologies and processes included in the Request for Proposals.

At their September 2, 2021 meeting, the Board of Public Works received the recommendation for an anchor tenant at the Sustainable Business Park. At their October 7, 2021 meeting, the Board of Public Works voted to authorize the DPW director to negotiate terms of a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with Kent County Bioenergy Facility, LLC. This PDA defines the respective roles and responsibilities under which Kent County DPW and the anchor tenant would jointly continue to develop, design, permit, equip and maintain the proposed facility and related infrastructure – including schedule, development of the site plan, project capital costs and financing. It would also contain provisions for default, termination and termination payment should either party choose to terminate the PDA.

At their March 3, 2022 meeting, the Board of Public Works approved the PDA with Kent County Bioenergy Facility which is led by Anaergia, a global leader in resource recovery and anaerobic digestion. Simultaneously, a Sustainable Business Park Stakeholder Advisory Group, made up of local municipal and industry leadership, was initiated to walk alongside the PDA process and provide input, feedback and recommendations on a countywide waste solution.

• Recommendation for Anchor Tenant at Sustainable Business Park (ppt) – August 2021
• Community Perception Survey on Landfill Alternatives – August 2021
• Introduction to CM+A (ppt) – November 2021
• Board of Public Works Work Session: Project Development Agreement (video) – January 2022
• Board of Public Works Work Session: Project Development Agreement (ppt) – January 2022
• Board of Public Works Action Request – Project Development Agreement – March 3, 2022
• Project Update for Area Waste Haulers (Sept. 7, 2022)

Kent County Bioenergy Facility Site Rendering (2023)

Similar projects:

Sun Valley 

Rialto Bioenergy Facility

Material Recovery and Transfer Facility – Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District

SMaRT Station  

Repower South

Infrastructure Improvements

Part of the innovative public-private partnerships taking shape at the Sustainable Business Park require infrastructure improvements to enable tenants to chart a timeline for their investment in West Michigan’s new approach to disposal. Initial support from Michigan Economic Development Corporation enabled Kent County to bring the 250-acre property closer to “shovel-ready” status by evaluating its unique assets, development potential, and proximity to existing utilities. Infrastructure investments still necessary to prepare the site for development include water, sewer, electric, gas, stormwater and roads. By leveraging external funding opportunities, the local dollars utilized will be exponentially and extensively invested for the benefit of West Michigan.

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