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Biomass combustion represents a near-term, low-risk, rapidly deployable, sustainable, highly scalable, renewable energy option. Unlike other alternatives, no breakthroughs are needed.

Many utilities have done extensive research on biomass, and recently, experts consider biomass / coal co-firing to be one of the lowest cost carbon mitigation avenues for power generation. One expert said "co-firing biomass in an existing plant can potentially be as cheap as or cheaper than coal, but there are barriers".

Led by Bill Johnson, Manager Biofuels Development, for Alliant Energy, this course focuses on biopower development from a utility point of view.

Topics covered (but not limited to):

• Project feasibility, drivers, and decision tree
  
• Goals, budgets, schedule management, and execution
  
• Regulatory compliance
  
• Fuel considerations, hazards, and handling
  
• Firing system considerations
  
• Gasification versus solid fuels
  
• Managed supply system key considerations

Come join Bill and bioenergy specialist, Tim Baye, for an in depth analysis of the start to finish of effective, reliable, scalable, profitable, and bankable biopower systems.

Who Should Attend

• A variety of stakeholders, including: project management staff, engineering, field agents, and operations.
  
• Agri-business professionals
  
• Attorneys representing utility clients and suppliers to power plants
  
• Climate change specialists
  
• Coal producers
  
• Engineers and managers dealing with power plant operations and the functions of combustion and boilers
  
• Environmental managers from utilities
  
• Finance and investment professionals
  
• Forestry professionals
  
• Governmental agencies involved in resource management and land use permitting
  
• Individuals involved in the biofuels supply chain
  
• Managers of commercial and industrial facilities
  
• Plant engineers
  
• Public utilities and regulatory staffers
  
• Siting and permitting attorneys
  
• Suppliers supporting power plant operations
  
• Sustainable fuel and feedstock interests
  
• Utility executives with renewable energy responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

• Distinguish and classify critical economic drivers, technical and planning issues in biomass power development
  
• Classify, frame, and conceptually design of a successful biopower system and apply those techniques to various decision making processes
  
• Assess the opportunity, challenges, and value of each biomass fueled feedstock stream (using purpose grown, crop residuals and forest based woody biomass
  
• Examine biofuel types commonly used in power plant boilers and the properties associated with each
  
• Distinguish and examine variables influencing land use decisions for establishment and growing bio-crops or for alternative uses
  
• Describe and illustrate aspects and the critical needs of sustainable systems
  
• Identify the opportunities for utility ownership versus outsourcing or partnering of purpose grown supply
  
• Analyze and distinguish the "transportation boundary"
  
• Identify the fundamentals of risk management unique to biomass to power and common elements from other industries that offer lessons learned

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

PowerPoint Presentations, Group Discussion

Continuing Education Credits:

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer up to 1.0 CEUs for this program.