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Woody biomass could lead to lower electric and heating bills for Smethport and make town a national leader in this technology
(Editor’s note: This is Part I of a two-part series on how woody biomass could lead to lower electric and heating bills for
By FRAN De LANCEY
Era Correspondent
delancey401@yahoo.com
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| Era photo by Fran De Lancey |
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SMETHPORT — Not only can alternative energy in the form of woody biomass lead to lower electric and heating bills for Smethport, but it could make the town a national leader in this technology.
The use of fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas are not part of this technology.
To generate energy, woody biomass technology burns chips from low value trees, logging residue, urban and agricultural waste, some of which would otherwise be deposited at landfills. In one of the technologies, these materials, called “feedstock,” are burned in boilers, creating steam to be sent into a turbine.
Woody biomass is carbon neutral, meaning the materials will not add any more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than was there when the trees were growing, said Dr. Tim Pierson, educator and forester with Penn State University’s Cooperative Extension Service in McKean County.
According to the Smethport Woody Biomass Project Team, “the mission is to develop a state-of-the-art combined heating and power demonstration pilot project using renewable carbon-neutral woody biomass feedstocks as a possible joint venture between the public and private funding sources and ownership.
“The demonstration project will also focus on woody biomass feedstock development, including the harvesting, handling and transportation, and processing and storage relevant to the production of heat and power energy.
“It is further the mission of the Smethport WBPLT to investigate establishing a Woody Biomass Renewable Energy Research and Technology Outreach Center in Smethport that is tied into PSU, University of Pittsburgh, foundations and private industry.”
“Right now, Penn State University is the driving force,” said Mayor Ross Porter, who along with Pierson, are co-chairmen of the team. “The Technical Outreach Center will study, interpret and share the various biomass production and conversion-to-energy technology projects in the region,” the mission statement continues.
Porter said, “What we want to do in Smethport is develop a model project in a model community based on the renewable use of energy and do it in a way that is totally scientifically sustainable. That’s where the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and PSU tie in, doing the research and study so that we can develop guidelines that reach out to other projects.”
In June, a delegation from the U.S. traveled to Gussing, Austria, to see first-hand the different woody biomass renewable energy projects. A leader in woody biomass research, Gussing built a CHP as a demonstration project 15 years ago.
Pierson was part of that delegation, along with representatives from PSU’s main campus, University of Maryland, Duke University, University of Maryland, U.S. Forest Service, Pennsylvania Loggers Association, Pennsylvania Nature Conservancy and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Throughout Austria, a heavily-forested country about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania, there are about 1,560 district heating plants that use the woody biomass technology. Approximately 20 are CHP’s that produce both heat and electricity.
Gussing and Smethport share making similarities, which means that the woody biomass technology to produce energy could be adaptable in Smethport.
Other than Gussing’s larger population — 4,000 to Smethport’s 1,700 — both locations are rural, have cold winters, have experienced declining job and agricultural opportunities and are engaged communities.
Porter said, “Since Tim has worked with us on a number of projects in Smethport, he was aware of our town and that we operate our own electric company and have a huge water infrastructure replacement project that we’ve been considering.
“Tim was so enthusiastic about the CHP in Gussing that he called me three times on his cell phone saying, ‘Ross, this project is perfect for Smethport.’”
Later, Pierson would say, “This is not a ‘Tim and Ross’ project. The other people on our trip to Gussing also got on board for Smethport.”
Porter agreed. “The heart of the team we put together are those who went to Austria.”
They are Charles Ray of PSU, Paul Rothe of DCNR and Lew McCreery, biomass coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service’s Northeastern Area.
“Consequently,” Porter said, “we have the critical support of those who understand our mission.
“In a nutshell, that means Smethport is considering the construction of a CHP facility that will supply heat and power to Smethport residents, county buildings, school district complex, public buildings, businesses and Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine.”
Individual homes have been heated from woody biomass for centuries, but a CHP takes that one step further by producing heat and electricity from one facility for distribution.
Smethport’s proposed exploratory project began when Pierson returned from Austria.
“We hit the ground running when Tim got back,” said Porter. “He was in my kitchen at 6:30 a.m. the following day to discuss the project even though he had to be at State College for a 10 a.m. meeting.”
The team’s leadership committee was formed later that day. They are Don Tanner of PSU Extension; County Commissioners Joe DeMott, Al Pingie and Judy Church; County Planner Debbie Lunden; Ray McMahon, county economic development director; Greg Rounsville, Smethport Borough Council president; and Josh Costa and Paul Raymond, Smethport Borough councilmen.
Also, James Herzog, Jamie Pierotti and Sean O’Day, Smethport Board of Trade; Jovanna Porter, Smethport Planning Commission; Terry Palmer, Smethport Borough Efficiency Committee; George Romanowski, superintendent, Smethport Area School District.
On July 14, Smethport Borough Council gave the go-ahead to explore the woody biomass project.
Some members of the leadership team were in Harrisburg on Sept. 2 to present a PowerPoint program to DCNR, Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Community and Economic Development officials, a meeting that arranged by John Quigley, chief of staff for DCNR.
Among the key points for that presentation was “localization,” or community solutions to community problems.
“Localization” would lead to economic development, namely by creating green collar jobs and producing energy locally.
Porter said, “To deal with the uncertainty of the energy market, we’re looking at community solutions that fit our niche. And that niche is the wood basket where we live.”
Through “localization,” the bulk of Smethport’s energy dollars can be kept closer to home, within a 25 to 30 mile radius of town.
In 2006, before Smethport joined AMP-Ohio, a non-profit electrical power cooperative, the borough spent $1.087 million in wholesale costs for electricity. That money left McKean County, and it left Pennsylvania.
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