PIER Renewables -- Biomass

Project Description: This purpose of this project is to determine the technical and economic feasibility of integrating a new biomass-to-ethanol facility with an existing biomass power plant, located in Chester, California. If feasible, these two facilities would be operated together and become customers for each other¹s products. The ethanol facility would produce lignin for sale to the biomass boiler, which it would use to generate electricity and steam. In addition, the biomass power plant would generate electricity and steam for sale to the ethanol facility. This project seeks to lower the biomass power plant¹s electricity-generating costs so that it can become more cost-competitive after subsidies for renewable energy power plants expire in 2004. The lignin fuel supply from the ethanol facility may help to lower the biomass power plant¹s costs of generating electricity. The ethanol facility would also generate income by producing and selling ethanol and other value added co-products to customers outside of Chester. The project is Phase I of a four-phase effort. If the results of Phase 1 are technically and economically positive, then facility developers may proceed with subsequent phases to design, permit, finance, construct and operate the ethanol facility.

Specific Technical Outcomes:

Determine whether the ethanol facility can produce up to 20 million gallons per year of ethanol from softwood feedstock using BCI technologies;
Determine whether lignin from the ethanol facility can partially displace the existing fuel of Collins Pine biomass power plant by 30 percent to 60 percent; and
Identify at least one co-product, other than lignin or ethanol, which can be produced by the ethanol facility

Specific Economic Outcomes:

Reduce the cost of electricity production at the Collins Pine biomass power plant by at least 1.5 cents/kWh.
Identify at least one co-product, other than lignin or ethanol, which can be produced by the ethanol facility and has a value of at least $2/pound

Project Current Status:

The Commission issued a stop work order to the project.
The Commission held the critical review meeting on December 20, 2001, in Hearing Room B, Energy Commission. The purpose of the meeting is to review the status of the project and the quality of work that has been conducted to date. Following the critical project review meeting, the Commission will then determine if the Contract between the commission and the Collins pine will be continued, canceled, or modified in some ways to ensure the issues pertaining to the stop work order are resolved. Our ultimate goal is to find a way to proceed with this project in a way that is successfully accomplishes the original intention and objectives.
No final decision has been made on the project.

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