|
How will The Northern Wood Power Project generate electricity?
Currently, PSNH’s Schiller Station in Portsmouth operates three 50 megawatt coal-fired steam boilers built in the 1950s. PSNH will replace one of these coal boilers with a new fluidized-bed boiler. This state-of-the-art boiler will burn whole-tree wood chips and other clean low-grade wood materials to generate electricity.
How much electricity will The Northern Wood Power Project generate?
Today, Schiller Station produces about 150 megawatts of electricity (about 13 percent of PSNH's total power output). The new wood-fired boiler will generate one-third of this, or 50 megawatts — enough to power approximately 50,000 New Hampshire homes.
Is PSNH using new generation technology for this project?
Yes, PSNH will be using a highly efficient fluidized-bed boiler for the project. This type of boiler, although not new, has benefitted from advances in generation technology.
How does the fluidized-bed boiler work?
Unlike typical “stoker grate” boilers where wood chips are simply burned as they pass along a rolling grate, the fluidized-bed boiler circulates the wood chips and burns them while they are suspended in air within the combustion chamber. This process burns fuel more completely, dramatically limits the production of nitrogen oxides and other emissions, and captures any unburned carbon compounds for further combustion. The new boiler system more efficiently converts water to superheated, high-pressure steam, which in turn spins the turbines to generate electricity.
Does PSNH currently use wood to produce electricity?
Not today. PSNH’s current portfolio of owned and operated power plants uses coal, oil, natural gas and water (hydro) as fuels. Wood-fired generation will provide more diversity to PSNH’s fuel mix, and will help ensure a reliable supply of affordable electric energy for customers of PSNH.
Where do the wood chips come from?
Whole-tree wood chips and other low-grade woods — often referred to as “biomass materials” — are natural byproducts of responsible forestry and land management practices. Generally, whole-tree chips are produced from trees unsuitable for use in lumber or paper mills, or from the tops and branches of trees harvested for lumber. Other clean wood products, such as wood residue from sawmills, are also suitable for fuel.
Will a demand for wood chips deplete NH forests?
Not at all. Today New Hampshire is the second most forested state in the country (Maine is first), with almost 84 percent of its land mass covered with trees. In the past, trees unsuitable for lumber or paper production were simply left in the forest. Over time, these unhealthy trees could become dominant and obstruct the growth of healthy trees. With The Northern Wood Power Project, PSNH is converting what would be considered waste to a practical, economical and environmentally sound fuel source. As part of responsible forest management, the Project actually helps foresters and landowners grow a more healthy and productive forest in New Hampshire and the region.
How much will The Northern Wood Power Project cost?
The project’s total cost is estimated to be approximately $70 million, including construction of a new fluidized-bed boiler, emissions control systems, a covered wood-chip storage facility, a wood unloading and handling system, and a covered conveyor to deliver chips to the boiler.
What is a Renewable Energy Certificate?
PSNH earns Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs, as a result of producing energy from approved renewable energy sources and technologies. These RECs can then be sold or traded to electrical suppliers and utilities without sufficient renewable energy resources of their own. RECs are in high demand in an emerging energy market. States such as Massachusetts and Connecticut have mandated that their electric suppliers add renewable energy — commonly known as “green power” — to their energy portfolios. As a certified green power supplier, PSNH will use proceeds from the sale of RECs to help offset the cost of The Northern Wood Power Project.
Will Schiller Station be offline during construction?
No. The new boiler will be built immediately adjacent to the existing plant. Schiller Station will be fully operational during construction, and PSNH customers will see no interruption in service when the conversion to the wood-fired boiler takes place. The company has planned for the new fluidized-bed boiler to go on-line during regularly scheduled maintenance, incurring only a slightly longer outage time.
Why was the Schiller Station site chosen for the project?
Early on, PSNH concluded that retrofitting an existing facility to wood-burning technology would be much more cost-effective than building and staffing a new power generation facility. Schiller Station was chosen because of its size (three 50 mw boilers), its infrastructure and trained personnel in place to accommodate the new technologies. In addition, it was conveniently located near critical major transportation routes. And by reducing the use of coal, PSNH could also dramatically improve the air emissions from the existing facility.
Will I notice any difference at the power plant?
The stack connected to the new wood-fired system will produce a noticeable increase in water vapor. This is because the wood chips are very moist — up to 50 percent water content — and the water evaporates as the wood burns. The steam, however, dissipates harmlessly into the atmosphere. Total emissions from the new stack will be significantly lower compared to the coal-fired system.
When will The Northern Wood Power Project be completed?
The target operational date is summer 2006. New Hampshire state regulators have approved a plan to build the project. Construction will begin once all permitting has been finalized and initial design work has been completed.
How will The Northern Wood Power Project benefit the environment?
The Northern Wood Power Project replaces coal with an equivalent power-generating supply of clean-burning wood. This eliminates the need for importing, storing and burning more than 130,000 tons of coal annually. PSNH’s new wood-combustion technology is so efficient, emissions will be reduced by thousands of tons each year. Burning wood chips reduces oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by about 70 percent, mercury 90 percent, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) 95 percent. Whole-tree wood chips and other biomass materials are considered “carbon neutral,” meaning no additional net carbon is released into the atmosphere from burning wood.
How does The Northern Wood Power Project benefit the economy?
As a new significant buyer of whole-tree wood chips and other clean low-grade wood, PSNH will become a significant supporter of New Hampshire’s forest industry. The Northern Wood Power Project is estimated to contribute $20 million annually to the state’s economy. The Project is part of PSNH’s ongoing efforts to provide New Hampshire residents and businesses with a reliable supply of affordable electric power. As our state’s growth continues, projects such as The Northern Wood Power Project will help reduce dependency on fossil fuels, diversifying our fuels and helping to keep customer rates stable in the future.
What impact will the Project have on electric rates?
A primary objective of the Northern Wood Power Project is that its cost will be offset by the sale of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to energy providers in Massachusetts and Connecticut. PSNH anticipates that between 300,000 and 400,000 RECs will be generated each year by the Northern Wood Power Project, and these will be in high demand by other states needing to comply with renewable energy mandates.
|
