Georgia Recieves Biomass Cogeen Project Approval
The Georgia Public Service Commission voted 4-1 to approve a proposal to add almost 80 MW of body biomass power generation to its portfolio. The bulk of the power added through the agreement comes from a 70 MW plant that’s being built by Altamaha Green Energy LLC in Wayne County in southeast Georgia. The plant, built on a former Rayonier pulp mill site, will fill a 30-year power purchasing agreement (PPA) with Georgia Power. The proposal also included two 10-year PPAs with International Paper that will draw power from existing cogen operations at IP plants in Port Wentwortth and the Flint River plant in Macon County, Ga. Upgrades to both facilities will power generation by 3.6 MW and 4.3 MW, respectively, that will be made available to the grid.
The project gained approval despite interest groups claiming air quality issues and overall costs, as the biomass power costs more than traditional power production, such as coal and natural gas. Project supporters claim that despite lower BTU values than fossil fuels, biomass is truly sustainable. The project will provide a key market for the forest industry to utilize small diameter timber and woody biomass material, although the new plant is projected to burn mostly wood pellets.
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Wrapping It Up: Wood Bio Conference
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third of three parts in the coverage of the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo held March 29-30, 2022 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center and hosted by Wood Bioenergy magazine. Part one in the June issue focused on the keynote talks from producer and consultant personnel. Part two in the August issue highlighted several presentations delivered by representatives of equipment and technologies companies. The next Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo will be held March 12-13, 2024 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Ga…
EU Vote Boosts Biomass
The European Parliament voted in mid-September to recognize primary woody biomass as a renewable energy source, keeping its classification under both the first Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and RED II. According to news reports, the vote was a critical move to meet the ambitious EU Parliament goal to increase the use of renewable energy to 45% by 2030, and for achieving the EU’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050…
Komatsu Successfully Converts Biomass Combustion Ash Into Fertilizer In Japan
Komatsu Ltd. jointly with Ishikawa Agriculture and Forestry Research Center and ASAHI AGRIA CO., LTD., a manufacturer of fertilizers, has successfully converted wood ash from the biomass boilers in operation at Komatsu’s Awazu plant in the Kaga area of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Mercer Purchases Germany’s HIT
Mercer International Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the parent company of HIT (Holz Industrie Torgau) for €270 million. HIT owns, among other things, 100% of a timber processing and value-add pallet production facility in Torgau, Germany and a wood processing facility in Dahlen, Germany that produces garden products…
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