Biomass Power for Rural Development - Salix Consortium, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation

ANTARES is performing system integration and team management for this consortium of over 26 parties seeking to develop a closed-loop, sustainable biomass power industry (based on farm-grown willow) in New England, New York and the eastern Midwest. Team members include electric utilities, independent power producers, gas and electric research organizations, farmers, extension agents, Rural Conservation & Development groups, and universities. The study identified two principal existing coal-fired boilers for cofiring opportunities. Both boilers have already been retrofitted to cofire biomass with coal. One of the plants, Greenidge Station, is burning up to 85 tpd wood residue on a commercial basis. The other plant, Dunkirk Station, has recently completed precommercial emissions and performance testing. ANTARES conducted the full-scale test in November 2002 at the Dunkirk plant and was responsible for procurement, processing, handling systems, and emission control monitoring. Initial test firing of willow at Dunkirk was conducted in winter 1996.

The Consortium is monitoring progress on experimental willow test plots in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania. One thousand acres of willow was planted by spring 1998. Preliminary negotiations on grower-utility fuel supply contract terms are ongoing to ensure a continuing fuel supply to the utilities.