PSNH Renewable Power Plant Burns Wood Chips (New Hampshire)

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46743

The $75 million Northern Wood Power Project, one of New Hampshire's larger renewable energy projects, is now in service in Portsmouth, producing power through burning wood chips. The wood-burning boiler, located at Public Service of New Hampshire's (PSNH) Schiller Station, has permanently replaced a 50-megawatt (MW) coal boiler the same size.

The new boiler is expected to annually consume more than 400,000 tons of wood, most of which will come from suppliers in the Granite State. The use of local wood was a key goal of PSNH and the New Hampshire Timberland Owner's Association, an early supporter of the project, and will help bolster the state's economy as well as advance good forestry practices.

"The dramatic emission reductions from this facility will help us satisfy the strict requirements of the New Hampshire Clean Power Act," noted Gary Long, PSNH president and chief operating officer. "Furthermore, we are able to make this improvement while still maintaining some of the lowest energy rates in the region."

"Our thanks go out to the Timberland Owner's Association, as well as the City of Portsmouth and the Town of Newington," said Long. "We could not have succeeded without the support they provided, as well as the support of many others, including the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests."

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[Demeter]

1. From the Folks Who Brought You Seabrook.....Ridiculous to Sublime

Or just ridiculous to ridiculous?

[jpak]

2. Seabrook was ridiculous - this is the real deal

n/t

[Demeter]

3. As Long As The Cheap Wood Holds Out n/t

[jpak]

4. As long as NH paper mills keep closing - it will

:evilgrin:

[OregonBlue]

5. Can they farm enough poplar or other fast growing trash trees to keep

it supplied? Isn't wood chip better used making pressboard? Doesn't seem practical to me. Could it be powered with hemp? That's certain fast growing but I guess they wouldn't want to take the chance of stoning the whole state.

[jpak]

7. A number of NH paper mills have closed recently that used much more wood

than this plant each year - it's not a problem...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=48668

[liberal N proud]

6. Northwest Missouri State University has been doing biomass for 25 years

They use the project to heat the campus with various sources of biomass materials from wood chips to scrap paper pellets and others.

http://www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/renewables/BBush_NW_Mo_State.pdf

[applegrove]

8. Won't that create more greenhouse gasses?

[jpak]

9. Biomass is carbon neutral (no net input of carbon to the atmosphere)

n/t

[applegrove]

10. Good to know.