Michigan utility Detroit Edison has been cleared to purchase renewable energy from two biomass projects, totaling 20 megawatts of power.
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved two power purchase agreements yesterday, for the utility to soure power from a landfill gas project and a wood waste facility.
The contracts will help toward the company’s plan to source 10% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2015.
Both contracts run for 20 years, and together will supply enough power to provide 14,000 homes with electricity.
Biomass
The L’Anse Warden Electric Company will supply 17MW from its wood waste biomass plant in Baraga County, which was converted from coal to wood waste this time last year.
The facility’s fuel supply comprises by-products from a paper plant, wood waste diverted from landfill, wood bark and chips as well as quick-growing willow trees.
Landfill gas
WM Renewable Energy LLC, a subsidiary of America’s largest waste firm, Waste Management, will supply 3 MW of renewable energy capacity from a new landfill gas project being developed at Lake Orion, in Oakland County.
The Eagle Valley Renewable Energy Facility will use landfill gas captured from the adjacent Eagle Valley Landfill, and is expected to start operating by the end of 2011.
Detroit Edison serves 2.1 million customers in Southeast Michigan, and is currently working to add about 1,200MW of renewable energy capacity to its portfolio in order to meet the state’s renewable portfolio standard.
Most of this will come from wind farms, the company said, having acquired development rights for 75,000 acres of land in Huron County for “large scale” wind projects.
The utility is also running two solar power pilot programs that could provide about 20MW of power.
Copyright © 2010 BrighterEnergy.org All rights reserved
