Utilities interested in corn stover pellets

Biomass Magazine
By Lisa Gibson
Posted August 17, 2010, at 2:51 p.m. CST

Several utilities are in discussions with Nebraska-based Next Step Biofuels Inc., interested in cofiring the company’s corn stover PowerPellets with coal. The corn stover pellets are attractive because they pulverize and process like coal, and ship and store like grain, according to Will Gardenswartz, Next Step Biofuels spokesman.

Nebraska utility Omaha Public Power District will test burn 2,200 tons of the PowerPellets, which will replace 5 percent of the coal usage in one of five boilers, and is the furthest along in supply negotiations with Next Step, Gardenswartz said. If all goes well, a contract could be in place by mid-October.

Read more

International Biomass Conference & Expo: Power utilities discuss biomass stategies

Biomass Magazine
May 2010
By Anna Austin
Posted May 6, 2010, at 9:45 a.m. CST

The future cost of CO2 is looming over power utilities. In order to avoid penalities and keep customer costs to a minimum, it’s imperative that power utilities begin preparing for a carbon-constrained regulatory environment, according to Great River Energy Manager of Business Development Sandra Broekema.

Broekema and several other representatives of the Midwest’s largest power providers presented during the general session panel at Biomass Magazine’s International Biomass Conference & Expo in Minneapolis, May 4-6. Presenters shared each respective power utility’s perspectives and strategies surrounding the use of biomass as a fuel source, as well as anticipated challenges and benefits.

Read more