New England Biomass Projects

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New England Biomass Projects

• Successful Renewable Energy Project Development
  in New England
• Northeast Energy and Commerce Association
• March 1, 2007

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Growth of RPS Demand in New England
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Recent Contribution to MA RPS Compliance
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Pre-Program Launch Projection of Contributions to
RPS
Landfill gas and biomass are early
contributors. Wind and biomass provide build-out
over time.
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Biomass Energy

• Major indigenous renewable energy resource in New
  England
• MA can produce roughly 4 million tons of wood
  chips per year on a sustainable basis, capable of
  firing roughly 500 MW of biomass generation
• Forestry management, saw mill residues, land-use
  change, tree trimmings, etc.
• Biomass offers opportunity for Combined Heat and
  Power applications
• Advanced, low emissions technologies have reached
  commercialization status

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Biomass Projects Qualified for RPS

• Fluidized Bed Technology
• Ridgewoods Indeck Plant West Enfield, ME 27
  MW
• Ridgewoods Indeck Plant Jonesboro, ME 27 MW
• Worcester Energy Deblois, ME 26 MW
• Greenville Steam Greenville, ME 20 MW
• PSNH Schiller Station Portsmouth, NH 50 MW
• Close-Coupled Gasifier Technology
• Ware Cogen Ware, MA 8.6 MW

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Additional Biomass Project Development

• Boralex \ Livermore Falls, ME 40 MW
• GenPower Barre, MA and Athens, ME 40 MW
• Russell Biomass, Russell, MA 50 MW
• Panda Energy Development Group (on hold)
• BERC / Sawmill Gasifier MA lt1 MW
• Renewable Oil International, Bio-Oil/Pyrolysis
  MA lt1 MW
• UMass / Amherst Central Power Plant 5 MW
• Seaman Paper Company, Otter River CHP
  Application lt1MW
• Cooley Dickenson Hospital CHP Application lt1 MW
• Mt. Wachusett Community College CPC Unit lt1 MW
  

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Mount Wachusett Community CollegeCOMBINED HEAT
POWER PROJECT
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Wood Chip Storage
Fine Filter
Heat Exchanger
Wood Chip Conveyor
Wood Chip Sorter
50 kW Genset
Feeder
Gasifier
Wood Chip Dryer
Feeder
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Active Project Development Requires Attention to
Fuel Supply Needs

• As a result of MA energy policies and increased
  fossil fuel prices, a significant interest in
  project development has emerged.
• Approximately a dozen bioenergy projects are in
  various stages of development.
• If even half of these projects are successful,
  demand is well over 1 million tons/year.

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MA Reports on Biomass Supply

• DCR (and its predecessors) has worked on
  low-grade and residue utilization for many years.
• 1974 Wood Residues Report
• 2002 Biomass Supply Report
• Reports provide useful data on supply and
  sources, but little on pricing and market
  development strategies.

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Biomass Supply and Demand Chicken and Egg
Situation

• Large scale / widespread biomass energy
  development will require sustainable, reliable,
  accessible, and price competitive market supply
  of biomass fuel.
• Development of fuel supply market will require
  development of significant biomass energy
  projects to create market demand for fuel.

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Need to Focus on Fuel Supply Infrastructure

• Wood resource in forest is not primary concern,
  but the harvesting, chipping, trucking
  infrastructure to supply the material to market
  is.
• Project developers have shared concerns regarding
  fuel supply capacity and reliability.
• DCR/EOEA and DOER is focusing effort on fuel
  supply infrastructure development.

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MA Sustainable Forest Bioenergy Initiative

• MA state agencies (DCR, DOER, EOEA) met with U.S.
  Congressman John Olver (MA, 1st District) to
  discuss fuel supply infrastructure need.
• Proposal was submitted for 500,000 earmark to
  begin addressing role of MA forests in biomass
  supply and infrastructure development.
• Earmark to be funded through U.S. DOE Biomass
  Program.
• Additional funds (245,000) from the MA Renewable
  Energy Trust will serve as match and broaden the
  scope of work to be completed.

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MA Sustainable Forest Bioenergy InitiativeKey
Tasks

• Resource Assessment of woody biomass supply/price
  to serve plants at several MA locations.
• Research bioenergy harvesting and fuel
  processing/aggregation methods and identify
  systems optimal for the Massachusetts. Transfer
  knowledge and provide training of harvesting
  methods to forestry industry.
• Assessment of current supply infrastructure and
  needs, and prepare a Strategic Plan to invest and
  promote infrastructure development.

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MA Sustainable Forest Bioenergy InitiativeKey
Tasks (continued)

• Evaluate regional economic impacts of biomass
  economic development (bioenergy plants and fuel
  supply market).
• Study of impacts of biomass harvesting on forest
  ecology.
• Inform policy making and provide
  outreach/education to address public concerns and
  support biomass development.

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Special thanks to Dwayne BregerMA Division of
Energy Resources

• Rob Rizzo
• Mount Wachusett Community College
• Gardner, MA
• 978-630-9137
• rrizzo_at_mwcc.mass.edu
• http//mwcc.mass.edu/renewable