Experts discuss biomass's place in the U.S. power industry

Biomass Power and Thermal
By Anna Austin November 10, 2011

The U.S. electricity industry includes approximately 300 gigawatts of coal-fired power, generated from large-scale power plants with electric capacities of anywhere from 200 to 4,000 megawatts (MW). Most of these plants can easily use biomass to some degree depending on the age of the boiler, the combustion process and other factors, but nearly all of them could burn 2 percent biomass with no modifications, according to Chris Blazek of Enviro-Burn Inc. That would result in an additional 6,000 MW of renewable electricity.

During a Nov. 10 webinar hosted by POWER Magazine, Blazek discussed the potential, drivers, and limitations of cofiring biomass at U.S. coal plants. He pointed out that according to U.S. Energy Information Administration projections of renewable energy growth, biomass represents the greatest potential, compared to other renewables, during the next decade.

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