BIOFUEL + SUN = POWERPLANT

In agricultural regions, waste-to-biogas is an especially good choice. In sunny regions, solar energy is an especially good choice. In California’s central valley, both agricultural waste and sun are plentiful. What could be more logical than using both?

In point of fact, the two can almost always balance each other and provide for 24/7 generation because where the sun is less intense than in central California there is likely to be more foliage and thus more biowaste.

Seems almost creepy perfect. Cue the theme from The Lion King: “…the circle, the circle of life…”

Well, it’s California.

In fact, until there is an economic means to store large quantities of solar energy, the future of solar power plants is likely to be in cogeneration, the incorporation of natural gas or biogas into a power facility for when the sun is not shining.

The Coalinga solar power plant will use solar parabolic trough technology. (click to enlarge)

Power plant output from solar, biofuel; Company, PG&E in deal for renewable source
Matt Nauman, June 13, 2008 (San Jose Mercury news)

WHO
San Joaquin Solar and parent company Martifer Renewables Solar (Ricardo Abecassis, president); Spinnaker Energy; Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

WHAT
San Joaquin Solar/Martifer Renewables Solar has contracted with PG&E to provide 106.8 megawatts of New Energy-generated electricity 24/7.

There is ample biomass in Coalinga cattle country. (click to enlarge

WHEN
- The plant will operate 24/7 by supplying biogas-generated electricity when it cannot meet the contracted demand with solar energy-generated electricity.
- The plant is expected to begin operation in 2011.

WHERE
- The plant is near Coalinga in central California, a major dairy and farming region.
- Martifer is based in Portugal.

WHY
- Solar trough technology will generate electricity in sunlight. Biogas produced from 250,000 yearly tons of agricultural waste, grass clippings and livestock manure.
- PG&E has been very proactive in acquiring New Energy power-generating sources. The California Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) requires it to obtain 20% of its electricity from New Energy sources by 2010. It has contracted for 2,500 megawatts of New Energy-generated electricity since 2002.

The facility will join solar and biogas energies for 24/7 output. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Andrew Byrnes, project development team member, deal partner Spinnaker Energy: "It's thinking creatively about a problem…We're taking two technologies that are viable and putting them together in an economically feasible manner."
- Ricardo Abecassis, president, Martifer: "[The combined generation makes the plant] cost-competitive with conventional generation technologies…"