Supporters Turn Out for Wisconsin Biomass Project

December 6, 2010

BY Rona Johnson

The first thing I do when I get to work in the morning is scour the Internet for biomass-related stories. On Wednesday, the first biomass-related headline I saw said, “Supporters outnumber opponents at biomass public hearing.” The story was accompanied by a photo of a resident holding a sign clearly favoring the use of biomass to produce power and the jobs that the industry will create.

The story out of Rothschild, Wis., covered the first of two public hearings held by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to discuss a proposed biomass power plant. The $255 million project is being developed by We Energies at the Domtar Corp. paper mill in Rothschild. The plant would generate 50 megawatts of power and provide steam for the mill. More importantly, the project will create hundreds of temporary (during construction) and permanent jobs and support the local logging and forestry industries.

According to an article written by Jake Miller of the Wausau Daily Herald, of the 43 people who spoke at the hearing only four were against the project. The people who are against the plant maintain that it will negatively impact air quality, while We Energies maintains that the new plant would reduce emissions by 30 percent.

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This story is in contrast to many others I’ve read lately where public hearings and meetings concerning biomass-based power projects seem to bring out more opponents. But is that because so many people are against biomass power projects, or is it because people who support the projects don’t bother to attend the meetings?

If this is the case, biomass supporters need learn a lesson from the people in Wisconsin and be more organized and vocal.

In other news:

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There was also some good news this week about coal prices in Europe that could benefit the biomass industry.

According to a Bloomberg, in the U.K. high coal prices could lead to a doubling of electricity generation from biomass in the next three years.

“Using coal to make a megawatt hour of electricity in the U.K. costs 40.25 euros ($53), compared with 39.35 euros for wood,” according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The story goes on to say that coal prices have surged because of an increase in demand from China.

This is especially good for North American companies that are currently or planning to ship wood chips, biomass pellets and other densified products overseas.

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