Fibrominn LLC Begins Construction of 50 Megawatt Biomass-Fired Power Plant in Minnesota

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Researched by IndustrialInfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Fibrominn LLC (Yardley, Pennsylvania) has started construction of a 50 megawatt (MW) plant in Benson, Minnesota. Fibrominn is a subsidiary of Fibrowatt LLC (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), which is jointly owned by Homeland Renewable Energy LLC (Boston, Massachusetts) (70%) and Fibrowatt Ltd of the United Kingdom (30%).

All permits have been received to proceed with the project, and Fibrominn has a 21-year power purchase arrangement with Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) (Minneapolis, Minnesota). Civil site preparation began earlier this year, but construction had been delayed temporarily, until financial closing occurs at the end of September. Foundations and underground auxiliary systems are being installed.

Fibrominn selected SNC-Lavalin Incorporated (Vancouver, British Columbia) to provide engineering and construction services.

The plant will consist of one boiler fueled primarily by 500,000 tons per year of poultry litter and vegetative biomass. This boiler will produce steam to drive a steam turbine generator to provide an average of 50MW of electricity for the grid, with the capability to produce 55MW during peak demand periods. Emissions from the boiler will be controlled by a baghouse and spray dryer to control particulate matter, sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulphuric acid mist, and hydrochloric acid. In addition, a selective non-catalytic reduction system will control nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Commercial operation of the facility is expected to commence by late 2006.

Fibrowatt has developed the project in response for calls for more renewable energy sources in the region. Also the facility offers a viable alternative to help alleviate the growing problem of disposal of poultry waste. Ash by-products from the plant can be used as fertilizer. The company is developing similar plants in Maryland, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

The project detail hyperlinks on this page are available to subscribers to Industrialinfo.com's PECWeb Direct.

Industrialinfo.com first reported on this project in March of 1999 and again in May of 2003. See related May 6, 2003 news article titled: href="http://www.industrialinfo.com/showNews.jsp?newsitemID=25183