Biomass CONSTRUCTION UPDATE Biomass Power
Pellets
Biogas
Advanced Biofuel
Q1: A Quarter of Progress and Completion by Kolby Hoagland
The Q1 2014 Biomass Construction Update celebrates the start of commercial operation for five bioenergy installations: DTE Stockton LLC, Gainesville Renewable Energy Center, Enviva Pellets Northampton LLC, Hometown Bioenergy LLC and KB Bioenergy. These five plants represent a total of 156.7 MW of biomass power and 500,000 metric tons of pellet capacity. The terms that define a plant's completion and start of “commercial operation” vary greatly among the four sectors covered in the Biomass Construction Update: biomass power, pellets, biogas and advanced biofuels. Multiple and varying factors influence when a project completes construction and begins commercial operation. For biomass power, start up is defined as a multistep process that begins during commissioning, and continues after the plant is supplying electricity to the grid. This is done to ensure that the power plant can dependably supply electricity to the grid. Regulation and the technological intricacies of power generation and supply require a slower start up than other sectors. Commissioning and start up of advanced biofuel plants and biogas facilities require synchronization of microbial communities and industrial processes. Abengoa’s Kansas cellulosic ethanol plant, for example, has a 21-MW biomass power plant installed in line with the pretreatment, fermentation and distillation processes necessary for producing cellulosic ethanol. Naturally, the more complex a project's design and base technology, the
DTE Stockton LLC, DTE Energy Location
Stockton, Calif.
Engineer/builder
Project Complete
Gainesville Renewable Energy Center PHOTO: GREC
more time required to bring the project into commercial operation. Contracts also play a large part in when a plant is considered complete and ready to sell bioenergy products and services into its respective market. Regulators and funders often set financial benchmarks and performance requirements that tie to funding. The capital, time, and coordination needed to bring a project to successful completion is not a feat with a clear finish line, but a period of time during which achieving a number of small goals denotes enormous accomplishments. If you would like your construction accomplishments covered by Biomass Magazine, please send an email to khoagland@bbiinternational.com.
Gainesville Renewable Energy Center, American Renewables LLC Location
Gainesville, Fla.
ESI Inc., DTE Stockton, LLC
Engineer/builder
Fagen Inc.
Primary fuel
Woody biomass
Primary fuel
Woody biomass
Boiler type
Stoker
Boiler type
Bubbling fluidized bed
Nameplate capacity
45 MW
Nameplate capacity
102.5 MW
Combined heat & power
Yes
Combined heat & power
No
Government incentives
NA
Government incentives
Federal 1603 grant
IPP or Utility
IPP
IPP or utility
IPP
Groundbreaking date
September 2011
Groundbreaking date
Q3 2011
Start-up date
December 2013
Start-up date
December 2013
The project is complete and operating commercially.
GREC is now operating commercially.
Atikokan Generating Station, Ontario Power Generation Inc. Location
Atikokan, Ontario, Canada
Engineer/builder
Aecon, Doosan, Nordmin
Primary fuel
Industrial pellets
Boiler type
Suspension fire system
Nameplate capacity
211 MW
Combined heat & power
No
Government incentives
10-year PPA
IPP or Utility
Provincial utility
Groundbreaking date
October 2012
Start-up date
Q2 2014
Boiler controls commissioning is underway. Silo mechanicals are 80 percent complete, and transfer tower electrical and cladding are proceeding.
12 BIOMASS MAGAZINE | APRIL 2014
Atikokan Generating Station PHOTO: ONTARIO POWER GENERATION INC.
Project Complete