Chariton Valley Biomass Project - Switchgrass Cofiring with Coal in Large-Scale Integrated Systems, Chariton Valley Resource Conservation and Development Inc., Alliant Energy

The Chariton Valley Biomass Project is a cooperative effort among two-dozen agricultural and energy interests to utilize multi-season grasses such as switchgrass as a source of renewable energy in southern Iowa. Project partners are seeking to cofire closed-loop biomass with coal to continuously generate up to 35 MW of renewable electric power at Alliant Energy’s Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS). To accomplish this, the project will require up to 200,000 tons of biomass annually from up to 50,000 acres, and will involve as many as 500 farmers.

ANTARES is a consultant to the Chariton Valley Biomass Project; developing a fuel supply plan, evaluating project economics to assist project partners in negotiating fuel supply agreements and determining business strategies, addressing the environmental permitting needs of the project, and advising on policy issues as needed. ANTARES prepared several final reports required by the Chariton Valley Biomass Project’s Biomass for Rural Development contract with the US Department of Energy, including a biomass feed system design package.

In 2003-04, ANTARES is evaluating project economics to facilitate a DOE-sponsored economic peer review for the project. Additionally, Antares is advising the Chariton Valley Biomass Project about how to realize value from the greenhouse gas mitigation benefits associated with the combustion of renewable fuels, and with other market related strategic planning and development efforts. ANTARES will also analyze emissions data from cofiring tests. Based on the cofiring emissions analyses, ANTARES will report to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and acquire the permits and permit amendments necessary for commercial biomass cofiring.