Biomass Power Plants in California
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Burney Location: CA Operator: North American Energy Services Configuration: 1 X 28.4 MW CHP Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: RS T/G supplier: GE EPC: GE Quick facts: This cogeneration plant is owned by Burney Forest Products, a joint venture of Forest Products LP and Burney Biomass Power LLC. NAES operates the cogeneration plant under contract with the owner. Burney has two stoker boilers and a single T/G set. The site elevation is 3,250f. Each boiler is equipped with an ESP and thermal DeNOx system. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Colmac Location: CA Operator: Colmac Energy Configuration: 1 X 45 MW Operation: 1992 Fuel: wood, agricultural waste Boiler supplier: CE T/G supplier: ABB EPC: Guy F Atkinson, Walsh Quick facts: This plant is owned by Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and is on the Cabazon Indian Reservation in the Imperial Valley. Colmac has two CFB boilers and a single T/G set. The fuel is mostly urban wood waste with some agricultural waste. Nearby is a tire recycling center, also owned by the Cabazon Band. Photograph courtesy of
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Delano Location: CA Operator: AES Corp Configuration: 1 X 31.8 MW, 1 X 25.3 MW Operation: 1990-1993 Fuel: agricultural waste, wood Boiler supplier: EPI T/G supplier: ABB Stal EPC: United Engineers & Constructors, Schneider Engineers Quick facts: AES Delano has bubbling fludized bed boilers. In February 2007, San Diego Gas & Electric reached agreement on a 10yr PPA with AES as part of its 2005 solicitation for eligible renewable resources. In April 2006, AES Delano announced plans to build a 55mn gallon per year ethanol plant adjacent to the power station, which will provide low-cost power and steam, as well as other infrastructure. AES CH2MHill for the permitting effort for the project which will be designed to have the capability of expanding to 85mn gallons.
Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Dinuba Location: CA Operator: Yanke Energy Inc Configuration: 11.5 MW Operation: 1985 (ret) Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: ?? T/G supplier: ?? Quick facts: This plant has a complex ownership history. It was developed by Bonneville Pacific next to a saw mill in Dinuba. The plant was taken over by Yanke Energy, who eventually gifted the facility to Fresno State University. In 2003, Crown Disposal and its affiliate Community Recycling of Simi Valley agreed to buy the facility. The 140ac sawmill has been torn down. and as far as is known, the power plant was never reactivated. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Fairhaven Location: CA Operator: DG Power Fairhaven Configuration: 1 X 18 MW Operation: 1986 Fuel: wood, natural gas Boiler supplier: RS T/G supplier: WH EPC: NEPCO Quick facts: Fairhaven has a fixed-grate boiler, a reconditioned T/G set, a multiclone particulate collector, and an ESP. Photograph courtesy of
NEPCO
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Hayfork Lincoln Location: CA Operator: Sierra Pacific Industries Configuration: 1 X 7.5 MW Operation: 1986 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Wellons T/G supplier: GE EPC: NEPCO Photograph courtesy of
NEPCO
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Honey Lake Location: CA Operator: HL Power Configuration: 1 X 36 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: GE EPC: NEPCO Quick Facts: Honey Lake uses up to 1,300tpd of forest thinnings, logging residue, and mill wastes and has a unique design using geothermal water for condensate preheating. The plant employs more than 30 people with a $1mn payroll. In addition, fuel procurement activities are valued at approximately $7mn/yr and provide approximately 50 additional jobs.
Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Loyalton Location: CA Operator: Sierra Pacific Industries Configuration: 1 X 20 MW CHP Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood, biomass Boiler supplier: RS T/G supplier: GE Quick facts: SPI closed the Loyalton plant in Sep 2009 following a breakdown in electricity sales talks with Sierra Pacific Power, which had been buying 10 MW. In Apr 2008, Renegy Holdings had signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy the plant
Photograph by Greg Lonergan |
Martell Location: CA Operator: Wheelabrator Technologies Configuration: 1 X 20 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: Dresser EPC: NEPCO Quick Facts: Martell's fixed-grate boiler burns up to 860 tpd of wood waste. Photograph courtesy of
NEPCO |
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Mesquite Lake Location: CA Operator: GreenHunter Energy Configuration: 1 X 17.9 MW Operation: 1987 Fuel: biomass, manure Boiler supplier: Lurgi T/G supplier: Delaval EPC: Lurgi, TIC Quick Facts: Mesquite Lake was developed by National Energy Associates as the world’s first commercial-scale cattle manure-fired, power plant. At completion, the facility burned up to 900 tpd of manure from cattle feedlots in the El Centro/Imperial area about 110mi east of San Diego. The $46mn plant originally sold electricity to Southern California Edison (SCE) and was financed by$37.2mn of bonds issued by the California Pollution Control Financing Authority plus $9mn from investors. Mesquite Lake was acquired by GreenHunter in May 2007 and is being refurbished.
Photograph courtesy of GreenHunter Energy Inc |
Mt Lassen Location: CA Operator: Covanta Energy Configuration: 1 X 11.4 MW Operation: 1985 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: Dresser, Electric Machinery EPC: Ultrasystems Engineers & Constructors Quick Facts: MLP has made a number of modifications to its original air permits to allow for the used of additional feedstock. The plant has a set of multiclones and an electrostatic precipitator and a fuel dryer to control CO, NOX, and VOC emissions. In addition to wood, bark, and wood residues from forestry operations, MLP is permitted to burn additional fuels including agricultural biomass, urban wood waste, recycle waste wood products, waste wood roofing shakes (with tar paper component), and waste activated carbon from the filtration of municipal drinking water.
Photograph courtesy of Covanta |
Oroville Location: CA Operator: Covanta Energy Configuration: 2 X 9 MW Operation: 1985 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: GE EPC: NEPCO Quick Facts: This plant was built in less than a year and includes two refurbished T/G sets. Photograph courtesy of
NEPCO
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Rio Bravo Fresno Location: CA Operator: Constellation Energy Generation Group Configuration: 1 X 28 MW Operation: 1988 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: CE T/G supplier: MHI, Brush EPC: Ultrasystems Engineers & Constructors Quick Facts: This CFB unit was built as a FERC Qualifying Facility (QF) on a 25ac industrial site 10mi south of Fresno. Annual fuel burn is about 280,000t of forest brush and clearing, and other wood. The Fresno plants lifetime average capacity factor is over 90%. Capacity and energy from the project are sold to Pacific Gas & Electric Company under a 30yr contract.
Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Rio Bravo Rocklin Location: CA Operator: Constellation Energy Generation Group Configuration: 1 X 28 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: CE T/G supplier: MHI, Brush EPC: Ultrasystems Engineers & Constructors Quick Facts: The Rocklin plant is a sister unit to Rio Bravo Fresno, also built as a FERC Qualifying Facility (QF), but on a 25ac industrial site 4mi northeast of Roseville. This is a unique, twin-site configuration to supply biomass power to the Central Valley.
Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Scotia Location: CA Operator: PALCO Configuration: 2 X 12.5 MW CHP Operation: 1988-1989 Fuel: wood, biomass Boiler supplier: Riley T/G supplier: GE EPC: GE Quick Facts: Scotia, originally known as Forestville, was founded as a logging camp in 1883. It is 30mi south of Eureka in Humboldt County. Pacific Lumber (PALCO) began producing steam in 1890 to power its operations and heat its facilities and a CHP plant was built in the 1920s. In 1984, planning began for a new cogeneration plant and this was completed in 1989, being recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers for its design and environmental attributes. In addition, to yard wastes, the cogeneration plant utilizes all of the wood wastes from PALCO sawmills and sells power to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Sierra Power Location: CA Operator: Sierra Power Co Configuration: 1 X 7.5 MW CHP Operation: 1986 Fuel: wood, ag waste, demolition wood Boiler supplier: Nebraska Boiler T/G supplier: WH EPC: Wellons Quick Facts: The owners of the Terra Bella mill in Porterville signed a 30yr PPA with Southern California Edison and retained Wellons to help them install a wood-burning boiler and a refurbished T/G set from the East Coast. The plant went online in Mar 1986 at the most southern sawmill in the state. After about 10yrs, the falling price of natural gas rendered wood-fired electricity uneconomic and the plant was shutdown in 1995 after the SCE purchase price dropped below cost recovery levels. Six years later, gas prices were high and SPC spent $1mn to restart the cogen plant to dry lumber with surplus power being sold on a merchant basis. Subsequent changes in the availability of wood, wood waste, and ag waste have led to periodic plant shutdowns. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Signal Shasta Location: CA Operator: Wheelabrator Technologies Configuration: 3 X 18 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood, biomass Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: Elliott EPC: NEPCO Quick Facts: Signal Shasta plant was built in less than 12mos and burns about 750,000 tpy of mill waste and forest residues from Shasta County and surrounding areas. The plant uses three traveling-grate stoker boilers, three condensing turbines, and a small back-pressure turbine. Its entire output is bought by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Photograph courtesy of
NEPCO
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SPI Anderson Location: CA Operator: Sierra Pacific Industries Configuration: 1 X 4 MW CHP Operation: 1998 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: Wellons T/G supplier: GE Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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SPI Lincoln Location: CA Operator: Sierra Pacific Industries Configuration: 1 X 18.4 MW CHP Operation: 2005 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: McBurney T/G supplier: Alstom Quick facts: A 7.5-MW unit online in 1986 has been retired. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Tracy Location: CA Operator: Sierra Pacific Industries Configuration: 1 X 23 MW Operation: 1990 Fuel: wood Boiler supplier: B&W T/G supplier: Dresser EPC: Tracy Constructors Quick facts: In Feb 2007, Tracy was acquired by USRG Management Co LLC from Thermal Energy Development Partnership LP. That same month, North American Energy Services Company (NAES) began providing O&M services for the plant, which is in San Joaquin County, 45mi east of Oakland. The facility has a long-term PPA with Pacific Gas and Electric. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Wadham Location: CA Operator: Enpower Management Configuration: 1 X 30 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: rice hulls, rice straw Boiler supplier: Zurn T/G supplier: ABB, Brush EPC: NEPCO Quick Facts: This is the world's largest power plant of its kind and burns up to 600 tpd of rice hulls and rice straw. The plant is zero water discharge and has a baghouse. All capacity and energy are sold to Pacific Gas and Electric. Photograph courtesy of California Biomass
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Woodland Location: CA Operator: Woodland Biomass Power Ltd Configuration: 1 X 28 MW Operation: 1989 Fuel: wood, ag waste Boiler supplier: Gotaverken T/G supplier: GE EPC: Thermo Electron Quick Facts: This plant was acquired by DTE Energy Services in Nov 2005 for about $20mn. It is a sister unit to the Mendota biomass power station. Woodland burns about 200,000 tpy of waste wood and biomass and has a 9yr PPA with PG&E expiring in 2014. Photograph courtesy
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Data: industcards, Platts UDI World Electric Power Plants Data Base
Updated 11/15/09