iBerkshires.com Columnist SectionSue Bush
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Biomass Facility Progress06:29AM / Wednesday, April 04, 2007
 | | State Sen. Ben Downing |
Boston- State Senator Benjamin B. Downing D-Pittsfield and state Representative Denis E. Guyer D-Dalton announce pre-development funding from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MTC) Renewable Energy Trust Fund for a proposed biomass facility to be located on property leased from Crane & Co. at 448 Hubbard Ave. in Pittsfield.
Tamarack Energy, Inc. is developing a 30 to 50 Mega Watt biomass facility that will be owned by a Tamarack Energy company. A biomass boiler will be designed to meet all regulatory requirements and to qualify for the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard. Wood chips will be the primary source of fuel. Secondary sources of fuel, such as lignin from Crane & Co.’s paper mill waste system, may also be incorporated.
“Utilizing biomass technology not only has obvious environmental benefits, it also provides many economic and energy security benefits,†said Downing. “I am pleased that MTC has selected this project to support.â€
This project has the potential to provide much of the on-site electricity needs. Tamarack will also investigate the potential use of excess energy by nearby customers.
MTC will provide an unsecured loan in the amount of $249,900, to partially finance pre-development activities for the biomass project including design and engineering, environmental and local permitting, a truck traffic study, an interconnection study, fuel supply analysis, Renewable Energy Credits contracting, and public outreach.
The loan is contingent upon Tamarack Energy executing an appropriate site option agreement and submitting a public outreach plan of the project.
“The jobs created by this facility will be on the cutting edge of technology that is destined to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels and help change the destructive path that our environment is on,†said Guyer.
Tamarack expects to begin construction in 2009 and begin commercial operation 2010.
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