Mount Poso Cogeneration in California Completes $30 Million Biomass Conversion

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Mount Poso is a cogeneration power plant in Bakersfield, California, that utilizes steam from a biomass-fired Foster Wheeler circulating boiler to drive a GEC Alstom turbine generator. This process enhances production in a nearby oil field, while using water from the oil field to supply the power plant. Mount Poso previously used coal and petroleum coke as fuel.

The conversion to biomass power cost $30 million and took nine months to complete and commission. It required the installation of a Bruks fuel handling system, with engineering by T.J. Cross Engineers Incorporated (Bakersfield, California) and construction by Greenberry Industrial (Corvallis, Oregon). Construction began in May 2011 and was completed in November 2011, with commissioning complete in February 2012.

The fly ash produced by the plant is marketed for industrial uses, including the dairy industry. According to plant manager William Dickson, the company is pleased with the results, and the project added eight people to the plant's operations and maintenance group.

The plant is run by Mount Poso Cogeneration Company, a 50:50 joint venture of DTE Energy Services (DTEES), a subsidiary of DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) (Detroit, Michigan), and Macpherson Power Company, itself a subsidiary of Macpherson Energy Corporation (Santa Monica, California). Macpherson Energy's wholly owned subsidiary Macpherson Operating Company operates the West Mount Poso Oil Field, which supplies the water for the cogeneration plant. An affiliate of DTEES operates the power plant.

For more information, see July 8, 2011, article - DTE Energy Services Seeks Renewable Energy Acquisitions.

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