Elsewhere in this issue we report on the sites selected for two proposed biomass power plants to be built in the Southeast U.S. by ADAGE, which is a joint venture between AREVA and Duke Energy.
Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power companies in the U.S., delivering energy to approximately 4 million U.S. customers with 35,000 MW of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. AREVA meanwhile has extensive experience in the biomass sector, having designed and built more than 100 biopower facilities in Europe, Asia and South America.
Now, Duke Energy Carolinas is doing a major evaluation of the use of biomass fuels as a renewable energy resource for compliance with the North Carolina Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard. In particular, Duke Energy is attempting to identify suppliers who are interested in entering into multi-year contracts to supply a minimum of 100,000 tons of biomass fuel annually. Duke Energy’s fuel specifications include green wood, dry wood, torrified wood, switchgrass, bamboo and ag products, but not stumps, treated lumber, painted lumber or construction waste.
From Left: Dan Shell, Western Editor; David Abbott, Associate Editor; David (DK) Knight, Co-Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Jennifer McCary, Senior Associate Editor; Rich Donnell, Editor
Duke Energy has been evaluating the potential for co-firing and repowering. Co-firing means blending small ratios of biomass with coal at existing coal-fired units, while repowering is modifying an existing coal-fired boiler to use 100% biomass. Duke Energy has conducted biomass co-firing tests at two of its stations in North Carolina.
Duke Energy is looking at seven possible projects, two of which would be new construction projects with 2014-2015 timelines. Two smaller projects would occur this year, and the remainder in the next couple of years. The seven projects combined would require at least 2 million tons of biomass annually.
Project economics, fuel availability, pricing and environmental permitting are among the numerous factors that Duke Energy Carolinas will weigh as it nears a decision on whether to proceed with any of these projects.
We point out this development as just another indicator of the hectic pace of both proposed and in-process wood bioenergy projects, which we hope leads to a true wood bioenergy industry infrastructure.