usa bppa presentation 07
TRANSCRIPT
The California Solid-Fuel Biomass Power Industry
How California is Helping,…..Or Not
January 2007
What Are the California Biomass Plants?
They all……
Burn wood wastes…To boil water…And make steam…To turn the steam turbine…That turns the generator…That makes electricity…That is sold wholesale…To the utilities.
Wheelabrator’s Shasta Energy Co., Anderson, CA 53 MW
Delano Energy, Kern County. 50 MW
Delano Plant Boilers
Colmac Energy 47 MW Riverside Co. CA
Current Biomass Power Industry
• 28 Operating Plants
• In 17 Counties
• 555 MW net generation capacity
• About 1.75% of California’s Power
• 14 Idle Plants, 117 MW capacity
California Biomass Power plants 2004
MW net
0-1515-3030-60
operating idle dismantled
Today,
the California biomass power industryis using
about 7 MILLION tons per year
of wood wastes
to generate electricity.
The Biomass Power Industry Fuels:
All are wastes with no higher-value market.
Three categories of waste wood fuel source:
1. Forest-derived2. Agricultural residues3. Urban wood wastes
1. Forest-derived Fuels
Over Dense Forestland
Shears cut all trees to be removed…
Skidders move the cut trees from forest to roadside landing…
Chippers process whole trees directly into chip vans…
Cull Logs
What We Have ByThe Millions Of Acres
Dead Trees in San Bernardino National Forest
Thinning Helps Prevent This
2. Agricultural-residue Fuels
Orchard Prunings
Whole Tree Orchard Removals
Rice Hull
Walnut Shell
Almond shell
Pistachio shell
OpenBurningOfAgWastes
3. Urban Wood Waste Fuels
Urban/Industrial Wood
Pallets
Raw lumber from drop boxes
Urban Wood Waste
URBAN WOOD WASTES
Eucalyptus
Railroad Ties
Urban Wood;Energy Instead of This
Brush
Today we are reaching out for more diverse fuel sources …
Wax Coated Corrugated Cardboard
Marijuana
Over 40% Smaller than the Peak in the Mid-90s.
Our State has lost 2 plants per yearfor the last 5 years.
117 MW of generating capacity closed.
California’s Biomass Power IndustryIs in Decline.
Why is This Happening?
• It’s the Fuel, Stupid!
Change in the Fuel Mix 1992 – 2006 (% of BDT)
1992 2006Forest-derived 62% 43%Urban 18% 35%Ag 20% 22%
Biomass Generation is Expensive
• Collection• Chipping• Trucking• On-site Handling
• Contrast to the cost of the fuel for a wind generator, or a hydro or geothermal plant.
Value of the Non-Electric Benefits??
Calculate the costs of the alternate fates of the materials
NREL says > 10 cents/kWh
Plants are paid:5.37 – 6.45 cents for the electricity, orShort-Run Avoided Cost (SRAC)
California has tried to help…
1. What has not worked.
2. What has worked, sort of.
3. What is now in play.
1. What has Not Worked
1a. Ag Fuel Grants
$10/ton of ag fuels used;Effective while it lasted
2000-2001;
Legislature pulled the plugafter a year.
The Biomass Power IndustryA huge waste-management industry…
That makes a little electricity on the side.
BUT….
Is not paid for the non-electric benefits.
1b. Trash Bill Surcharge
75 cents a monthon everybody's trash bill;
Distribute as a usage-basedfuel subsidy.
No Traction.
1c. California has passed a Renewable Portfolio Standard.
It has not worked.20% Renewable kWh by 2010;Fulfilled by kilowatt hours alone;Not differentiated by technology;Effectively, Low Price Wins.
Utilities have resisted.
Wind is winning most of the bids.No new biomass plants.
2. What has worked..sort of.
Subsidizes biomass generation a bit during Off-Peak hours;
Funding from Ratepayers “Public Good Charge”
Keeps most plants running and consuming waste. (This is good.)
BUT…The subsidy is very limited.
2a.The California Energy Commission
California's Biomass Power Decline - 1993 to Present
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MW
2b. “Fixed” Prices
Most renewables negotiatedfixed energy prices w/IOUs
(Escalate at 1%/yr.);
5-year term;
After 5 years???
3. What’s now in play.
3a. New State Policy, April 2006(After 10 years of trying.)
Biomass-to-Electricity is to constitute 20% of RPS;
(Includes LFG)
20% of 20% = 4%Double the existing industry?
The California PUC
Is deciding the gas-based price that renewable generators should be paid by the utilities.
A decision may be released this spring.
How this interacts with State Policy and the RPSIs up in the air.
The CPUC, CARB, CEC,CIWMB, CalEPA, CDF&FP,
Resources Agency, Food & Ag, Dept. of Gen’l Svcs, SWRCB
are trying to figure out how to implement the 20% Policy.
The CECis now deciding on
continuation of the ‘off-peak’ subsidy.
Will it continue?If so, at what level?
Conclusions
The California biomass industry future depends on:
1. Implementation of the 20% Policy;2. The future determination of SRAC;3. Fuel availability from Federal lands;4. Continuation of the “Off-Peak” subsidy
Send Guns, Money, and Lawyers