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closeWednesday, Jul. 09, 2008
Port of Benton biomass pellet project may get federal funding
By Mary Hopkin, Herald staff writer
The Port of Benton's biomass pellet gasification project may receive $1 million in federal funding.
The money was included in the Senate's 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill passed Tuesday by the Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee. The bill goes to the full Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
The money will help the port build a demonstration facility for its biomass project, likely at the Prosser Wine and Food Park. Scott Keller, the port's executive director, estimates the equipment and building will cost more than $1 million.
"This will really help us get this going," said Keller, who received the news that the money was included in the bill when Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., called him Tuesday during the port's monthly meeting.
Roger Wright, the port's engineer, patented a formula last year for creating pellets from agriculture waste, such as grape pomace, spent hops and mint slug. Nearly two million tons of agriculture waste is produced each year in Benton, Franklin, Yakima, Walla Walla and Klickitat counties.
Some of the waste is used as feed for cattle and other livestock, but a lot of it just gets dumped in rural areas throughout the counties, creating safety hazards.
In January, the port penned a deal with an Oregon pellet producer to make the pellets. West Oregon Wood Products -- the pellet company -- will use the port's patented recipe to make the pellets. And a gasification company, Evergreen Fuel Technologies, will burn the pellets to create energy to add to the area's power grids.
"With skyrocketing energy costs hitting residents in rural areas like the Tri-Cities hard, we can all agree that it's time to seriously invest in alternative sources of energy," Murray said. "This funding will help create a biomass facility that will be a model for similar projects in the area."
Diahann Howard, the port's economic development director, told the commissioners that although the money is not a "done deal," it had a good chance of remaining in the bill because of Murray's senior ranking on the committee.
Howard said the project is also receiving a lot of attention throughout the state, from the Department of Ecology to the Washington's Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development Department.
The project is being highlighted often, as state leaders work to develop policies on bioenergy, she added.
The port received more than $200,000 in grants to study how to create clean energy from the waste.
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