Identification of Potential Coal/Biomass Cofiring Sites, Coalition of Northeast Governors (CONEG)

ANTARES was chosen by the Coalition of Northeast Governors to compile the available emissions and plant operation data from utility cofiring experiences to date and document the key factors associated with successful cofiring operations. ANTARES also identified those power plant facilities in the 11 Northeast states which were candidates for cofiring coal with biomass, and performed a preliminary analysis of those sites to determine where the strongest opportunities for cofiring in the region were. The project also included assistance to candidate sites in further evaluating their cofiring potential and pursuing a biomass cofiring objective through a conceptual plant retrofit assessment.

To identify coal-fired utility boilers in the Northeast that were good candidates for co-firing with biomass, ANTARES compiled existing literature, available data and experience of power plant operators and managers and architects/engineers, to produce a list of technical, economic, and environmental regulatory factors affecting cofiring operations. Impediments to implementing a successful co-fired utility were identified. The screening was conducted in two steps. Preliminary screening was done using the National Allowance Database (NAD) produced by the Environmental Protection Agency. NAD was developed to support the SO2-emission trading system promulgated under Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Step two of the screening process considered additional factors that could not be analyzed within the NAD data and which require feedback from the initial utility prospects. The second step included a more detailed set of screening criteria focusing on site conditions, operating issues, capital investment requirements and related technically oriented economic issues.