Camptonville Biomass-to-Energy Project
Advancing a small-scale, low-emission, water-efficient bioenergy power plant.
Camptonville Community Partnership
Recipient
Camptonville, CA
Recipient Location
1st
Senate District
1st
Assembly District
$2,160,519
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
The Camptonville Community Partnership (CCP) has made significant progress since signing the contract in February 2020. Key progress includes:
- All pre-construction permitting: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Conditional Use Permit; Air Permit; Conversion Permit
- Preliminary design and engineering
- Power Purchase Agreement
- Land Ownership
- Secured a new Engineering, Procurement, and Construction subcontractor: Engeman Camptonville Green Energy, LP
The critical next step is the financing package.
The Issue
California is experiencing unprecedented levels of tree die-off. Factors that are contributing to the die-off include several consecutive years of drought, warmer temperatures, and an infestation of bark beetles. The number of dead trees in California greatly exceeds the level expected for healthy forests, and this overabundance of forest fuel increases the risk of catastrophic wildfires that threaten property and lives. Bioenergy is captured as one solution to help manage forest biomass volumes; however, there is a need to demonstrate technologies that can economically convert biomass to electricity.
Project Innovation
This agreement will fund the demonstration and deployment of a biomass power plant with a minimum capacity of 3 MW net (3.5 MW gross). The biomass facility will include advanced low-emissions technology to reduce NOx, CO and VOC emissions, and the facility will include a state-of-the art low water consumption condenser.
Project Goals
Electricity generation from forest biomass that is lower in air pollutants and water use.
Provide reliable power in rural communities.
Project Benefits
This project will address the goal of reducing wildfire threats by using dead and diseased trees and other forest byproducts removed from forest lands to produce a minimum of 3 MW of electric power for grid export in an environmentally responsible manner. Power will be exported to the grid under the Bioenergy Market Adjustment Tariff (BioMAT) program. The power plant will integrate an advanced emissions controls and a state-of-the-art low water use condenser. The technologies that comprise the integrated system have all been successfully used at large scales but have not been demonstrated as an integrated system at a the relatively small scale planned for this project.
Consumer Appeal
Consumer Appeal
This project is a community-based initiative that has many supporters, including local community organizations and agencies, environmental organizations, regional timber operators, county and state government representatives and agencies, federal land management agencies, and several air quality management districts.
Economic Development
Economic Development
The Camptonville project will create living-wage jobs in economically distressed Sierra Nevada communities by demonstrating a successful business model for biomass utilization. The Camptonville plant is estimated to create up to 27 full time new jobs. This employment increase is expected to cut the unemployment rate in the community by more than 50% (decrease from nearly 9% to about to 4%).
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
The Camptonville project will generate power using advanced emissions controls that will keep NOx, CO, and VOC emissions well within air district limits. In addition, the project will use an advanced condenser for heat rejection that will significantly reduce water consumption.
Reliability
Reliability
Power will be exported to PG&E, which will help increase grid reliability in rural regions near Camptonville and the surrounding foothill communities.
Safety
Safety
By using dead and diseased trees and forest byproducts, this project will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, thereby mitigating threats to people and property.
Key Project Members
Lindsey Nitta
Project Coordinator
Camptonville Community Partnership
Cathy LeBlanc
Executive Director
Camptonville Community Partnership
Rick Tidball
Consultant
Tidball Consulting, LLC
Keith Davidson
Consultant
DE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Subrecipients
DE Solutions, Inc.
Christiana Darlington
Phoenix Energy
Tidball Consulting
Hite Consulting
Industrial Accessories Company
Headwaters Environmental Inc.
Williams Consulting
Engeman Camptonville Green Energy, LP
Match Partners
Engeman Camptonville Green Energy, LP
