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Woody Biomass Utilization

Nevada City, October 22 2009

New Biomass Projects and Resistance to Growth

Gareth J MayheadUniversity of California BerkeleyIn partnership with:USDA Forest Service Region 5

Sierra Cascade Logging Conference, Redding, February 10 2011

Woody Biomass Utilizationhttp://ucanr.org/WoodyBiomass

What does “biomass” mean to you?

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Overview of today’s panel

• Fred Tornatore – TSS Consultants• Greg Stangl – Phoenix Energy• Steve Brink – California Forestry Association

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Context - national

• Increased Federal interest in “wood to energy”and “bioenergy” based on:– Desire for energy independence – A belief that conversion technologies for liquid fuel

production are market ready? – A belief that prices for feedstock are high enough to

move material from the forest?

• USDA 3 Under Secretary’s MOU Oct 2010– “All lands, forest restoration, value, jobs, climate”

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Context – California

• Forest Service Region 5/PSW – Desire to increase ecological restoration program– A move to Stewardship Contracting

• California already has an existing “biomass to energy” industry

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• ~32 plants in CA• ~600MW capacity• ~25% are CHP• 3-50MW size• Most facilities of

any state

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California BCAP pt. 1 qualified conversion facilities

• 38 facilities in CA (8.4%)

• 291 contracts• $27.73m spent

(FY’09 & ’10) (11.8%)

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Is the existing industry thriving or surviving?

• It depends…– Cogen or stand alone– Location– Feedstock cost– Feedstock availability– PPA terms and price

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The Government can help

• Grants and other programs focused on biomass to energy

• Multiple initiatives in Northern California to “help”:– SNC– USDA RD– SBC– SI– USDA FS (me)

• Regulation Source: USGS

5

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Should we be depressed?Maybe but lots is happening on the

ground:• Transactions• Re-starts and re-powering• Conversion of coal power plants

to co-fire or use 100% biomass• New build projects – utility scale• Some promising small scale

gasification projects

Woody Biomass Utilizationhttp://ucanr.org/WoodyBiomass

Things to think about for discussion…

• Are policies having their intended impact?• Are different agencies and programs coordinated?• Is electricity from biomass on a level playing field with

other renewables?• Is electricity too cheap?• What about the advantage of biomass vs fossil fuels?• What about reduced fire risk?• How do we sustain rural forest based communities?• Are the utilities embracing biomass as part of their their

renewable portfolios?