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Gainesville biomass plant will require a million tons of wood a year
27/04/2009
Last year, the Gainesville City Commission approved plans to build a 100-megawatt biomass-powered energy plant in the Florida city, bringing increased demand for forestry in the area to feed the plant.
The wood-burning power plant will require 135 trucks to deliver 25 tons of wood each day to reach its required capacity. There have been concerns that demand may exceed supply in terms of the local forests, but research carried out by American Renewables and the University of Florida has found that there is more than enough local wood waste being created to for the plant.
Most of the wood waste will be in the form of shavings that are a bi-product of the harvesting process and will be sourced from within a 75 mile radius of the power plant.
The city has adopted strict standards for its forestry to maintain sustainability. They provide financial incentives to timber firms who adopt best forestry harvesting methods, under the Forest Stewardship plan.
The plan includes rules that prevent forestry in conservation land and outlaw harvesting of natural forests being converted to timber. In addition, the rules require forests to be replanted within three years.
The wood-burning power plant will require 135 trucks to deliver 25 tons of wood each day to reach its required capacity. There have been concerns that demand may exceed supply in terms of the local forests, but research carried out by American Renewables and the University of Florida has found that there is more than enough local wood waste being created to for the plant.
Most of the wood waste will be in the form of shavings that are a bi-product of the harvesting process and will be sourced from within a 75 mile radius of the power plant.
The city has adopted strict standards for its forestry to maintain sustainability. They provide financial incentives to timber firms who adopt best forestry harvesting methods, under the Forest Stewardship plan.
The plan includes rules that prevent forestry in conservation land and outlaw harvesting of natural forests being converted to timber. In addition, the rules require forests to be replanted within three years.
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