On May 16 Reliable Renewables principal, Zach Scott visited the North Fork Mill Site. Reliable Renewables is the company selected by the CDC Board after soliciting proposals from several companies offering biomass to electricity systems. The parties are exploring the possibility of building a biomass gasification system at the North Fork mill site that would produce 1 MW of electricity using wood chips as feed stock. This would be enough electricity to power about 1000 homes.
In developing a biomass power facility on the North Fork Mill Site, the North Fork Community Development Council (CDC) hopes to meet the following objectives:Other visitors also participated from various agencies, nonprofits and organizations that are helping to make this project a reality, including the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council, Southern California Edison, The Grant Farm, and TSS Consulting. Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler was also in attendance. After a tour of the site, the group sat down and had productive discussions about the current project status as well as challenges that must be overcome. This included a far-ranging discussion of engineering, financing, regulatory requirements, grants and pending legislation.
- Create jobs for local residents.
- Create an income stream for the CDC to further promote Mill Site redevelopment.
- Support local subsidiary businesses such as biomass harvesting, chipping and transport.
- Beneficially utilize woody biomass being removed from surrounding public and private land for purposes of fire safety and/or ecological restoration.
- Have minimal noise and odor impacts to nearby residents and businesses.
- Provide opportunities for additional businesses that can utilize potential heat from the power plant, such as kiln dried wood products, greenhouses, etc.
- Generate renewable energy consistent with the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.
For more information on this project, contact the North Fork CDC atinfo@northforkcdc.org. (DAN, IS THIS THE RIGHT CONTACT E-MAIL?)
North Fork CDC
- Dan Rosenberg
- Tom Burdette
Yosemite Sequoia RC&D – Steve Haze
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
- Jim Branham
- Kim Carr
- Elissa Brown
- Meghan Booker
- Mandy Vance
Grant Farm – Shawn Garvey
TSS Consultants
- Tad Mason
- Todd Hansen
- Matt Hart
Madera County
- Supervisor Tom Wheeler
Southern California Edison – Rich Bagley