A Tale of Two Cities Part II – Educational Institutions

In January, we looked at renewable energy projects in two different towns, examining how community support (or lack thereof) contributed to the success or failure of each. (See: A Tale of Two Cities). Today, we examine a project similar in nature to the canceled project at the University of Montana but that was able to make it over the finish line.

Colby College Biomass Facility; Source: Colby College.

Colby College is a private liberal arts school in Waterville, Maine. The institution took a large step towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2015 when it went on line with its new biomass plant in January. Using approximately 22,000 tons of local wood per year, the facility produces steam to make heat and electricity. By replacing close to 1 million gallons of heating fuel each year, the biomass plant is expected to save the college up to $250,000 each month in the winter.

The college chose a gasification system by Chiptec Wood Energy Systems, out of Vermont. Chiptec has been in business for over 90 years, focusing exclusively on biomass waste-to-energy systems since 1986. From the company website, it looks to us like Chiptec uses a partial oxidation technology. Colby is the fourth institution of higher learning to use Chiptec technology for a biomass plant.

Feedstock is supplied by Cousineau Forest Products, bringing wood chips, bark and treetops from a radius of 50 miles to the campus and storing excess in an underground storage bin. The project was made possible by a grant from Efficiency Maine as part of the Competitive Grants for Large Greenhouse Gas Reduction Projects.

So why did the project at the University of Montana fail while the Colby College plant succeeded? Both included gasification systems that would run on woody feedstock and both were situated on college campuses in states that are generally considered environmentally conscious. The answer lies in part, in consideration of what the biomass plant was replacing.

Colby College’s biomass facility allowed it to reduce its oil consumption by almost 90 percent. On the other hand, Missoula’s power was coming from natural gas, which is cleaner and cheaper than oil. The Montana project was ultimately canceled as a result of “deteriorating discourse,” from members of the community who were concerned about the emissions. No one was going to argue in favor of keeping a system that relied on oil in Waterville.

Better BTU Take: The moral of the story is go after coal or oil, not the natural gas. Farther down the road, we’d like to see all facilities operating from renewable energy, but right now, let’s approach projects that already have existing infrastructures (as these two did) and replace the most harmful (and expensive) fuels first.

For More Information on Colby College’s Biomass Plant:

Maine College Has Biomass Plant for Heat, Energy – Associated Press, Jan. 18, 2012

Maine College Fires Up Biomass Plant – Biomass Magazine, Jan. 27, 2012

Biomass Expansion Information Sheet – Colby College

Chiptec Wood Energy Systems