Feasibility Study: Biomass Gasification Cofiring for Rural Utilities, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Utility Service

The USDA Forest Service has requested funding to clear underbrush from several dozen national forests as a forest fire prevention measure. The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is spearheading an effort to foster interest in converting this material to electric power. RUS is interested in promoting gasification for cofiring in coal-fired boilers at rural utilities, cooperatives and municipalities, and has enlisted the National Rural Electric Cooperative (NRECA) to assist.

ANTARES conducted a feasibility study of the technical and financial issues for systems spanning a 2 MWe to 15 MWe size range. In addition to gasification cofiring, solid fuel cofiring, conventional steam turbine, cogeneration, gasification combined cycle, and feedwater preheating were examined. Cases were run to demonstrate the sensitivity to biomass feedstock cost, moisture content and plant capacity. The report contained an overview of biomass resources of various types by state. A summary of the challenges and opportunities for biomass energy was also included.