Web exclusive posted May 12, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. CST
The North Dakota Industrial Commission granted $1.5 million for five projects to research alternative energy and biomaterials. Three of the projects relate to biomass research, one project will develop a practical blending facility for E85 ethanol fuel, and the fifth project is for wind tower technician training. The grants are from two state funds established by the 2007 Legislature. Two more grant rounds will be made from the funds.
North Dakota State University Agriculture Experiment Station and professor Larry Leistritz's will research establishing a biomaterials industry in the state. The $1.7 million project, which received an $800,000 grant, will complete a front end engineering and design study for a pilot scale plant to demonstrate the commercial potential of technology for producing materials and fuel from biomass feedstock. The first project will examine the technical and economic requirements for technology to produce bio-based cellulose nanowhiskers.
The Spiritwood Industrial Park east of Jamestown, N.D., received $109,000 for a $534,000 joint project of Great River Energy, Great Plains Institute, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, North Dakota Farmers Union and North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives. The funding will support a detailed technical evaluation of integrating a biomass supply into the Spiritwood Station, which is part of the new Spiritwood Industrial Park. Great River Energy proposes to co-fire up to 10 percent biomass in the Spiritwood Station. The types of biomass, their delivered costs, production, raw material handling and baling, loading, transportation, and on-site handling will be evaluated. The study will also look at the prospects for recruiting existing farmland into perennial energy crops.
ComPAKco LLC was awarded $72,275 to develop its densification technology for biomass. Its device, the ComPAKer, will use much less power than existing biomass compacters due to its design improvements and use of binder material. The anticipated cost of the ComPAKer is anticipated to be a fraction of comparable pellet making machinery. The company's total project cost will be $145,000.
Blue Flint Ethanol, based in Underwood, N. D., received $50,000 to create blending facilities for mixing E85 fuel to ensure that consistent supplies of E85 fuel are available to gas stations that want to carry it. Blue Flint Ethanol will market the E85 as motor fuel to the retail fuel stations in North Dakota with E85 pumping capability and to potential additional retail fuel outlets. The project's total cost is estimated at $100,000..
A grant of $500,000 was awarded to Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, N. D., to design and implement a wind turbine technician training program. The grant, which also includes building a 1.62 megawatt wind turbine at the college, is contingent on LRSC finding funding for the remainder of the $3.3 million project.
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