From a news release issued by Alliant Energy:
Biomass burns to resume at Nelson Dewey Generating Station in spring 2011
MADISON, WI – December 30, 2010 – Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), an Alliant Energy company, will build upon the success of its 2010 biomass test burns by expanding those efforts in 2011, burning larger quantities of biomass for longer durations at the Nelson Dewey Generating Station in Cassville, WI.
WPL has received a Research and Testing Exemption (RTE) from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) that allows for up to a 50 percent co-firing of biomass over a 12 month period within the facility’s two cyclone fired boilers. While that approval came this week, the 12 month period won’t actually begin until the test burns begin. WPL anticipates that will happen this spring.
“With the potential that biomass presents to create Wisconsin jobs and build upon a new and developing economic market for Wisconsin farmers, expanding our test burns at Nelson Dewey is the next step in our focus on balanced generation,” explains John Larsen, Senior VP Generation – Alliant Energy & President – WPL. “As we continue to manage costs overall as a company, we are also managing our generating fleet to reduce our reliance on market purchases and remain flexible to adapt to change.”
WPL will continue to examine a number of factors during the test burns in 2011, including environmental impacts, supply chain capabilities, material delivery and handling costs and the blending and combustion of biomass based materials within the current plant configuration. No permanent structures or modifications will be made to the existing facility’s equipment to accommodate the test burns.