[Sust-mar] Response to NSP's proposal to purchase electricity from biomass

[Larry Hughes]

Nova Scotia Power recently announced its intention to purchase electricity
from a 60 MW biomass facility near Point Tupper operated by NewPage and
Strait Bio-Gen (NSP 2009). When fully operational in 2013, the facility is
to expected burn between 600,000 and 700,000 tonnes of biomass annually.
In fact, NSP's plans for biomass extend well beyond the 60 MW biomass
facility and include co-firing biomass with coal. 

However, biomass has other uses. In many countries, it is a secure and
environmentally benign source of energy for space heating. Assuming that
the planned quantity of biomass to be burnt in the 60 MW biomass facility
can be harvested in a sustainable manner, this report considers the energy
security benefits of using the biomass for space heating rather than for
electrical generation.

Submitted to Nova Scotia UARB 19 June 2009.

http://dclh.electricalandcomputerengineering.dal.ca/enen/2009/ERG200907.pdf


Larry Hughes, PhD
Professor
Energy Research Group
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2X4
Canada

v: 902.494.3950
f: 902.422.7535
e: larry.hughes at dal.ca
u: http://lh.ece.dal.ca