Idaho Power has a green power initiative that allows people to purchase wind and solar energy for their homes. Now, this week’s Treefort Music Fest is getting in on the program.
Treefort already limits single-use items at the 5-day festival, and prioritizes composting and recycling. This year, they’ve added a new item to their list of environmental practices: they’ve purchased enough renewable energy to power their indoor venues.
"They’re using 5,000 kilowatt hours of wind from Fossil Gulch Wind Farm in Hagerman," says Melissa Thom with Idaho Power, "and 4,000 kilowatt hours of solar from Kuna – the Boise Solar Farm.”
Treefort has bought 9,000 kilowatt hours to put back into the grid. They’re not alone. Other music festivals around the country have made the switch to green power.
Treefort still needs to use diesel generators for their outdoor stage on Grove Street, and for the food trucks nearby. For that, Thom says organizers bought carbon offsets that will go toward landfill gas capture.
“So it’s a combination of green power and the carbon offsets that really excited Treefort and really fit in line with their other green initiatives.”
Thom says Idaho Power analyzed how much energy those venues used last year to calculate the amount Treefort would need to purchase this year.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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