North Fork Community Power Forest Bioenergy Facility Demonstration

Powering the community's electricity needs using forest biomass waste

Resiliency, Health, and Safety Forest Biomass

The Watershed Research and Training Center

Recipient

Hayfork, CA

Recipient Location

2nd

Senate District

2nd

Assembly District

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$4,220,575

Amount Spent

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Active

Project Status

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Project Update

The project’s biomass power plant is nearing completion (over 98% completed as of the end December 2024) with anticipated commercial operation date (COD) before mid-2025. All major structures, equipment, and instrumentation are now installed or constructed, including the EQTEC gasification and gas cleanup system, engine-generators and associated equipment, and control and staff building. The plant’s human-machine interface (HMI) system is in service and being used in troubleshooting and commissioning of electrical distribution system as part of ongoing cold commissioning activities. PG&E completed work on the transmission line connecting the power plant to the grid, and staffing for subsequent operation was filled. A few remaining works include commissioning and certification of some remaining equipment (e.g. compressors and pressure vessels), site cleanup, paving and fencing, and hot commissioning prior to commercial operation. In addition to CEC funding, this project has funding through tax-exempt and taxable bonds, a CalFIRE loan, and equity investment from EQTEC. The project has a Power Purchase Agreement with PG&E under the BioMAT program.

The Issue

Forest biomass-fueled bioenergy gasification projects have the potential to be more efficient and cleaner electricity generation than direct combustion systems and can reduce the risk of forest fires and pollutant emissions. The electricity generation is anticipated to be economical in the long-term but is dependent on the ability of developers to achieve necessary operating hours. Due to lack of sufficient data and the absence of commercially operating forest gasification facilities, there is a need to conduct demonstrations and collect technical data that will help advance the economic viability of this technology and attract private investment.

Project Innovation

The goal of the North Fork Forest Bioenergy project is to demonstrate at least one megawatt (MW) forest waste bioenergy gasification-to-electricity facility. The biomass gasification facility is targeted to be a commercial-scale, community-based facility capable of accepting and processing wood waste from forest management that would otherwise create wildfire and air quality challenges, and generating renewable grid-connected electricity. Once the gasification is fully installed and operational, the project team will investigate critical performance parameters and evaluate individual components and protocols to improve performance and reduce operating costs.

Project Goals

Construct, commercially operate, and evaluate the performance of novel thermochemical woody biomass conversion system.

Project Benefits

This commercial-ready gasification technology has not been previously demonstrated in California. Combined with the producer gas cleanup system, automation and control, and optimized operation, this innovative system will demonstrate distributed, woody biomass-fueled electricity to be economically feasible and capable of operating for 7,000 hours a year. The project will be grid-connected and will provide immediate benefits, including increased renewable generation capacity; expanded technical resources; and community environmental, wildfire, and economic development benefits.

Affordability

Siting these plants near the forest reduces the cost of hauling biomass from the forest and reduces biomass electricity costs below those of larger, traditional biomass power plants.

Economic Development

This plant will be built and operated by local contractors. In some cases, workers may even be trained to work on site. The plant is owned in part by a local Community Development Council, which will receive profits from the PPA and reinvest them in the community. Additionally, the power plant will anchor a biomass utilization campus that will expand to include other forest products.

Environmental Sustainability

Use of forest restoration by-product will improve air quality over open burning and reduce wildfire risk. Additionally, the gasification system will reduce air pollutant emissions. Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD) estimated emissions reductions of 60% CO2 and 3% CH4 in direct combustion systems with emission control over pile and burn system, and these emissions could be further reduced by gasification.

Consumer Appeal

Providing jobs, protecting homes, enhancing the functioning forest ecosystems, increasing biodiversity, and decreasing wildfire threat are all benefits that this power plant will be able to promote to increase consumer appeal.

Energy Security

This project will rely on California-grown fuel and operates as a baseload plant. Development will also require PG&E and plant owners to invest in the local substation. The availability of local bioenergy power plant that is connected to and supplying power to the grid will increase energy security for the rural community.

Key Project Members

Subrecipients

TSS Consultants

The Regents of the University of California, Merced

Phoenix Energy

Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council

North Fork Community Power LLC

Darlington Legal Services

Kamalesh Doshi

Match Partners