Pennsylvania Biomass Energy Opportunities

Co-firing Biomass with Coal

The opportunity to burn biomass with coal to produce electricity is better in PA than in any other state based simply on the number of coal fired electric plants and their proximity to biomass production.

Co-firing Plantation Produced Woods

• Reasons to select Hybrid Willow or Poplar– Fast growth rate– Multiple crops– Wildlife habitat– Green energy credits– CRP payments

Problems Associated with Hybrid Willow and Poplar

• Pests- Diseases, Insects and Weeds

• Special Equipment needs and Failures

• Lower BTU Values (1/2 of Coal)

• Growth and Production on Marginal Land

Co-firing Warm Season Grasses (Switchgrass)

• Reasons for Selecting Switchgrass– Perennial species lasting up to 20 years

– Carbon Sequestration

– Wildlife Habitat

– Conservation Crop(CRP)

– Vigorous on pool soils

– Conventional harvest methods

– No-till planting

– Potential cellulose for ethanol

Problems with Switchgrass

• Needs to be chopped and mixed with coal just prior to Burning

• Hard to mix with coal

• Hard to establish

• Lower BTU value

• Limited harvest (3Years)

• Low value of fuel at plant

Anaerobic Digestion

• Methane Digestors Benefits– Manure odor reduction– Reduces manure transport– Resource Separation– Ease of Handling Water– Electricity production– Compost production– Green / Brown energy credits

Methane Digestor Problems

• Initial construction costs

• Feasible for large operations

• Low KWH payments for electric sales

• Handling water portion from the digestor

Food / Industrial Processing Digestors

• Benefits of Digestion– Removes waste from process– Generates electricity to offset costs– On site production– Water recycling– Green energy credits

Impediments of Processing Digestors

• Requires space at facility

• Expense

• Residue disposal net metering requirements

• New management and process

Waste Wood Opportunites

• Wood Heat for Industrial Uses

• Wood Heat for Greenhouses

• Wood Heat for Schools

• Urban Waste Wood

• Wood Gasification

• Bio-oils

Ethanol

• Pennsylvania Ethanol Opportunities– Uses some local corn– Produces distillers grain for animal feed– Produces CO2 for local markets– Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)– Site selection opportunities

Concerns for Ethanol

• Fear of corn over production

• Conservation concerns

• Taking a food / feed to make fuel

• Feed industry resistance

• Concerns for plant

Biodiesel

• Opportunities– Currently produced from multiple sources– Soybean meal is produced currently– Can use yellow and brown grease– Reduced sulfur emission– Improved engine performance– Local use

Concerns for Biodiesel

• Elevated Nox (nitrogen oxides) in air

• Loss of soybean meal

• Can oils be better used for cooking or cosmetics

• Non ASTM certified oils

• Ability to tax locally produced fuel