TOPICAL INFORMATION

Benefits of California’s Biomass Renewable Energy

The biomass power industry in California, which generates power from renewable biomass waste fuels, and sells electricity into the power grid for consumer use, consumes about 7 million tons of waste wood annually. The California biomass industry is made up of 29 power plants, and generates about 4 million megawatt hours per year, or about 1.9% of the state’s commercial supply of electricity. California is home to about 25% of the nation’s biomass power industry.

As primarily a waste management industry, which generates electricity almost as a by-product, the California biomass industry provides numerous environmental and social benefits; benefits which are far greater than the industry’s small role in the state’s power supply. The industry’s fuels come from the four general sectors of:

• urban wood wastes from manufacturing, construction, landscaping, etc.;
• agricultural residues that for the most part would be open-burned for disposal;
• sawmill wastes which formerly were "teepee" burned, but now would be landfilled;

• forest thinning wastes which have no other use or value, and would be left in the forests either to rot or to burn in the event of a fire.

The biomass industry benefits are:

Clean Air and Environment - Reduction of particulates and other atmospheric pollutants from open-burning of agricultural wastes and prescribed forest burning, through collection of these wastes for use as fuel under tightly-controlled boiler conditions; reduction in fossil fuel emissions that cause smog and acid precipitation, and that inhibit visibility, which would result from conventional generation of a like amount of power; reduction in "global warming" greenhouse gases, due to use of biomass materials that otherwise would decompose in landfills or in forests, emitting greenhouse gases.

Wildfire Risk Reduction and Forest Health Improvement - Firefighting costs are reduced - a "biomassed" forest area is provably much less susceptible to wildfire because of removal of slash, deadfall, brush, and non-merchantable wood. Although not quantified, forest production is increased due to less competition for water and sunlight, and watershed productivity and management is improved.

Landfill Diversion - Reduction in waste management costs as a result of lessened load on landfills and reduced requirement for new landfill development. Generation of greenhouse gases from decomposition, particularly methane, is correspondingly reduced. Some biomass power plants use sawmill wastes as fuel, obviating the need to landfill these materials as well.

Fuel Diversity - Reduced risk of energy cost increases associated with future fossil fuel  price jumps. Biomass provides an element of domestic energy that is both renewable and displaces a portion of energy that may be derived from imported sources.

Payroll - Increased number of jobs due to labor intensity of renewables plus their support infrastructure. Additionally, most of these jobs are in rural areas where employment is especially important. The number of jobs directly generated in California by the biomass power industry and its fuel supply infrastructure is approximately 3,600.

Local Property Taxes - Payment of property taxes on high capital cost and land intensive renewable energy generating facilities, plus their supporting infrastructure facilities. In many rural counties, the local biomass plant is among the largest taxpayers.

Request Information:  calbiomass@reesechambers.com
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Call Phil Reese at Reese-Chambers

3379 Somis Rd., Suite G    P.O. Box 8