Cleaner fuel

Article Photos

By MIKE MODRZYNSKI

News Staff Writer

As much as 20 percent of the fuel used in the proposed power plant to be built by Wolverine Power near Rogers City, could be biomass or, more specifically, switch grass and wood.

According to Wolverine spokesman Ken Bradstreet, this locally grown fuel could provide as many as 284 jobs in the four-county area surrounding the plant. He said Presque Isle, Alpena, Montmorency and Cheboygan counties could all share in the potential job distribution created by harvesting trees and switch grass to feed the power plant.

"The business of producing, harvesting and transporting biomass has great economic potential as well as environmental benefits for the area," Bradstreet said. "However, you must understand that biomass also carries a much higher price tag for Wolverine than do other fuel options we are considering. Economics is one factor to consider, but the major one is just how much biomass the DEQ will allow in the fuel mix to remain under the tight emissions cap granted by the DEQ."

The job formula, based on five percent increments of biomass permitted by the DEQ is: five percent 51 jobs, 10 percent 113 jobs, 15 percent 188 jobs, and 20 percent, the maximum Wolverine is asking to be included in the permit 284 jobs.

To achieve the needed level of biomass supply in the area, Wolverine has planted three five-acre plots in and around Presque Isle County to test a number of species of trees to find the optimum sources. Forestry consultant Ben Nowakowski of Alpena said the company is testing a number of species in a variety of soil types so anyone who is interested in growing trees to help keep jobs locally could have an opportunity to participate in the program.

"We have trees in low lying heavier soils that many think would be great farmland, and we have some growing in the typical sandier soils throughout the region," Nowakowski said. "Primarily we are seeing hybrid poplars doing the best overall but we have several other species to yet consider like jackpine. With the first growing season nearly complete we have a variety of hybrid poplar that has already exceeded an average of seven feet in height."

Currently the three five-acre test sites include plantings of several varieties of fast growing poplar, silver maple, European larch and red pine. Nowakowski said the tree farms average about 300 stems per acre.

"I can see in about 10 years, our local landowners growing biomass for the plant in 10-year harvest cycles using the same rotating crop method Christmas tree farmers have been using quite successfully for a number of years," Bradstreet said. "This program has a unique and economically sound basis keep local jobs local. If we can grow it (biomass) here, the jobs will remain and costs will be lower."

He said by using varying amounts of biomass in the fuel mix for the power plant, the plant is just that much cleaner burning, with fewer emissions. The proposed plant is already many times cleaner than the average coal burning power plant in Michigan and throughout North America, but adding biomass, he said, will lessen the overall environmental impact even more.

Mike Modrzynski can be reached via e-mail at mmodrzynski@thealpenanews.com.