Fuel supply deal for $250m Washington biomass project

August 23, 2010

Biomass joint venture Adage has signed its first long-term biomass fuel supply agreement for a $250 million biomass project in Washington State.

Adage, a firm formed by Duke Energy and AREVA, is developing a 55-megawatt power plant in Mason County, 80 miles west of Seattle.

The venture will source fuel from Green Diamond Resource Company, which owns and manages timberland in the immediate area.

The Adage Mason County plant will make use of waste wood left over from Green Diamond timber harvesting, with the companies pledging the material would conform to state and industry sustainability requirements including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard.

Adage is already working with forestry equipment manufacturer John Deere to set up biomass collection systems in the area (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).

Supply

ADAGE President Reed Wills said the area’s long-term supply of forest biomass had been what attracted his company to Mason County in the first place.

He said: “By signing this agreement with Green Diamond Resource Company, we are a key step closer to delivering the jobs and renewable energy potential of forest energy in Mason County.”

Patti Case, public affairs manager for Green Diamond said: “Green Diamond is pleased to find a productive use for wood fiber that is currently left in the forest or burned to reduce fire hazard. Utilizing these residuals for power is a step forward for the renewable energy industry.”

Adage, which is also developing a biomass power project in Hamilton County, Florida, said it believes its Mason County project will create 400 direct jobs during construction and more than 100 permanent operational roles when completed.

The company is awaiting permits from the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency and from Mason County, and hopes to begin construction in early 2011.

Add your comments

Mida
At 55MW’s of power, the ADAGE plant will use much more than just “waste wood.” Hardly sustainable. Found out more at http://www.energyjustice.net, specifically http://www.energyjustice.net/biomass
Mida
For instance, Generating a megawatt of electricity from wood for a year requires about 10-13,000 tons of wood. Hence a 50 MW facility (relatively small) will burn at least 500,000 tons per year. Average yields for temperate forests are about 10 tons per hectare so in one year this facility will need to harvest from a 500 sq km area.
http://www.energyjustice.net/biomass
Trinitycreekmt
slash alone (excluding pulp wood) averages approximately 20-25 green tons per acre for forests in this area. That equates to approximately 20,000 to 25,000 acres of harvest per year feeding the plant assuming 500,000 green tons to feed it. The two primary privately owned forests in the area within logical haul distance own or control over 500,000 acres. 25,000 acres is one-half a percent of this land base. Throw in pulp wood and thinnings and there is easily enough material in the logical haul distance of 50-60 miles to satisfy the plants needs sustainably…