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Renewable Energy: Biomass
Biomass is defined as organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis. A biomass system converts plant or animal wastes into energy.
Utah Biomass Projects
Utah State University
The Utah State Energy Program represents the State of Utah for the Western Regional Biomass Energy Program and provides technical assistance and partnering to entities submitting proposals for federal energy-related biomass grants. This program, in conjunction with Utah State University's Agriculture Extension Service, provides assistance to Utah farmers and ranchers for reducing their energy costs.
Utah State University received a federal grant of $761,385 as part of $23 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy in a Joint Biomass Research and Development Initiative.
The Utah State project is for research and demonstration of an anaerobic system on a large dairy farm. The joint grant program was part of the Bush Administration's effort to increase energy independence through the development of additional renewable energy resources from the agricultural and agroforestry sectors.
Salt Lake City Landfill
This is based in the Salt Lake City Landfill and is a methane-to-energy project. The principal partner is Detroit Edison.
New Power Plant for Hill Air Force Base
2004—Hill Air Force Base officials will today participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new electrical power plant using methane gas from the nearby Davis County landfill.
The power plant—the first of its kind to be built on an Air Force installation—is part of a program initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce energy use, manage utility costs and promote renewable energy at federal facilities by using biomass and alternative methane energy sources.
This new facility will save approximately $600,000 per year on energy costs at the base, officials said. Capital investment is funded from the private sector and will not require up-front government funding. The contractor for the facility is Exelon Services Federal Group of Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Hill Air Force Base Generation Plant Article (2004)
—Dawn House, courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune
Related Resources
These links are provided for informational and educational purposes only. Listing of links does not constitute an endorsement by the Utah Geological Survey of products, services, or opinions described on any web pages accessible from this site, nor does it provide any guarantee of the accuracy of any data contained on those pages.
- Alternative Fuels Data Center (US DOE)
- Bioenergy Action Plan (California Energy Commission)
- Bioenergy Feedstock Information Network
- Biofuels (Utah State University)
- Biomass Magazine
- Biomass Program (US DOE)
- Biomass Research (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))
- Center for Agronomic and Information Site
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory Biomass Resource Data Center
- Utah Clean Energy's Biomass 101
- U.S. Department of Energy Biomass Information