US Power Firm To Build Biomass Energy Plants

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Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC), America's largest power supply cooperative, has recently unveiled plans to build as many as three 100 megawatt (MW) biomass electric generating facilities in the state of Georgia.Designed to utilize woody biomass, one of the state's most abundant renewable resources, the power plants will be carbon-neutral and provide power to OPC's 38 member cooperatives, which supply electricity to nearly half of Georgia's population."With our abundant biomass resources, Georgia has the unique opportunity to expand our use of alternative energy, grow our economy and transform the way we provide energy to our citizens," said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.Capital investment in the biomass plants will range from $400-500 (£222-£278) million per facility, with each providing approximately 40 well-paid, full-time jobs. In addition, each plant will require an annual investment of more than $30 (£16.7) million for fuel stock alone and will create a need for potentially hundreds of new jobs in the state's forestry industry.Tom Smith, president and chief executive officer of Oglethorpe Power Corporation, said, "We're pleased to find an environmentally friendly way to help meet some of our members' growing demand for electricity. OPC's members continue to grow and have an increasing need for additional power."The power plants will be steam-electric generation stations using conventional fluidized bed boiler/steam turbine technology. Fuel for the plants will consist of a woody biomass mixture, including processed roundwood (e.g. chipped pulpwood), primary manufacturing residue (e.g. wood waste from sawmills) and harvest residue (e.g. wood remaining in forests after clearing). The plants will be designed to allow for the co-firing of other types of biomass, such as pecan hulls and peanut shells.Depending on the location, water would be obtained either from onsite wells, nearby surface waters, from municipal sources or grey water from nearby industries. Each plant would be developed on a minimum of 150 acres of land to ensure an adequate buffer between the plant and its surroundings.

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