19 May Governor Doyle releases plans for biomass projects
MADISON — Governor Jim Doyle today released plans to build one of the largest biomass projects in the nation and create construction and green energy jobs. A report issued today is the final step in analyzing how to move forward in providing steam and electricity to the UW-Madison campus and to steam to heat and cool state office buildings in downtown Madison. Governor Doyle last year announced plans to stop burning coal at state-owned heating plants on Madison’s Isthmus.
“This plan provides the roadmap for how we will change the way energy is produced and provided on Madison’s Isthmus,” Governor Jim Doyle said. “The projects will create jobs, at first in the construction sector, and then long term, as we create markets for alternative energy sources in Wisconsin, with the added bonus of significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions from two state heating plants.”
The report issued today provides technical and financial analysis for replacing or retooling all coal-burning boilers at the Charter Street Heating Plant, which serves the UW-Madison campus, and at the Capitol Heat and Power Plant, which serves the State Capitol and 11 other government buildings in Madison.
The plan suggests the following steps will help provide reliable and economical energy while minimizing the environmental impacts of the state-owned heating plants on Madison’s isthmus:
• Use biomass and natural gas as the two preferred fuel sources for the Charter Street Heating Plant.
• Use the state’s purchasing power to help create and expand local biomass markets and strengthen local economies.
• Maintain the current location of the Charter Street Heating Plant because it is the optimal location for the steam distribution system on the campus.
• Use new equipment and technology to meet the increasing steam capacity needs of the UW-Madison campus.
• Burn natural gas and remove older steam and coal equipment at the Capital Heat and Power Plant.
The report also recommended that the state continue its efforts to improve energy efficiency at the UW and across state government and move forward with plans to create a new UW Biofuel Research Laboratory on site at the Charter Street Heating Plant. The laboratory would provide opportunities to study and develop new and better ways to use renewable fuels.
Funding for the projects is provided in the Capital Budget proposal which includes $251 million for Charter Street Heating Plant and $25 million for Capital Heat and Power Plant.
The report can be found at: ftp://doaftp04.doa.state.wi.us/Doadocs/CharterSt-BACTComplianceNeedsAltAnalysis.pdf.