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Tallahassee Goes Biomass

posted by System Administrator on 10/15/06

Biomass Gas & Electric Company announced its agreement on October 11, 2006 with Florida's Capitol city, Tallahassee, to provide the city's utility with electric power and gas produced from biomass. The advanced technology used by BG&E follows a two-step process in which biomass is superheated, without oxygen, and converted into usable gas that is similar to natural gas. This gas is then used as fuel for turbines to produce electricity.

The process, called advanced pyrolysis gasification, provides energy with 95% lower emissions than fossil fuel technology. As a result, the BG&E process offers a significant energy alternative that is environmentally friendly. The type of biomass to be used is forest wood waste like that created from storms, construction and proper forest management principles.

When BG&E's plant goes on line is 2010 it will provide the city with 35 megawatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 35,000 homes, along with 60 decatherms of methanated biomass process gas. This gas is a substitute for natural gas. The city has the option to have BG&E provide an additional 35 megawatt plant later.

Energy produced by BG&E will provide approximately 8% of the city's energy needs. This energy will become part of the city's portfolio of energy resources called for in its Integrated Resources Plan.

"The energy from BG&E supports one of the important goals of our Integrated Resources Planning process to find diverse energy sources for our community's growing power needs," said Tallahassee Mayor John R. Marks. "We believe this agreement with BG&E will help Tallahassee become a national leader in renewable energy sourcing. Renewables are an important part of the City's plan for meeting our citizens' energy needs."

"I have great respect and admiration for the City of Tallahassee for taking this step into the future for their community," S. Glenn Farris, president and CEO of BG&E said. "Tallahassee will become the first municipality to utilize this advanced gasification technology and will be a pioneer in reducing fossil fuel dependence."

As part of its commitment to environmentally sound energy production and to the Tallahassee area, BG&E will commit to providing funds for a national hydrogen research facility at Florida State University(FSU), which is located in Tallahassee.

"I am particularly excited about the educational opportunities the new facility will provide for FSU students," said Kirby Kemper, the university’s vice president for Research. "Not only will they get to observe the workings of an actual power plant, but they will be able to perform pioneering research on alternative fuel sources using the hydrogen gas that the facility will provide." Kemper added, "A new master’s degree program in sustainable energy and a Sustainable Energy Institute also will be established at FSU as part of the university’s efforts to expand its research into alternative fuel technologies."

BG&E is a 5 year old company owned and managed by some of the most experienced people in the country in biomass energy production. Key members of the team were directly responsible for setting up and running the first commercially sized biomass gasification plant in the country.

For more information about BG&E see www.biggreenenergy.com.
For more information on Tallahassee and its Integrated Resources Plan see www.talgov.com