June 13, 2008, Dobson, N.C. –
Fibrowatt recently announced it has chosen a site in Surry County near
Elkin, N.C. to build a new biomass-fueled power plant.
June 13, 2008, Dobson, N.C. – Fibrowatt recently announced it has chosen a site in Surry County near Elkin, N.C. to build a new biomass-fueled power plant.
|
| The Fibrominn plant, located in Minnesota. Photo courtesy of Fibrowatt |
This plant will provide poultry growers with an important alternative for the management of poultry litter in western North Carolina.
“We are excited to welcome a Fibrowatt plant to Surry County,” said Craig Hunter, chairman of Surry County Board of Commissioners . “This project is an important development for Surry County, bringing new jobs to the region and increasing our tax revenues. The poultry industry is an important employer in this region and an important part of our rural economy. This plant will help support our local poultry industry and will benefit all of the people who live in and around Surry County.”
The Fibrowatt plant is expected to contribute at least $10 million annually to the local economy through fuel purchases and transportation, employee payroll, and facility maintenance costs.
The plant will create much-needed jobs for the region, both during the construction phase and during long-term operation of the plant. Based on Fibrowatt's experience with the Fibrominn plant in Minnesota, the project is expected to create as much as 300 construction jobs during the two-year construction phase of the project. When operations begin, the project is expected to support 80 or more jobs in plant operations, fuel transportation, barn cleanout services, and the operation of a planned adjacent ash fertilizer plant.
The plant will be designed to produce up to 40 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy without introducing new greenhouse gases into the environment. At 40 MW, the plant would annually generate enough energy to power about 30,000 homes.
“By using poultry litter as our primary source of fuel, the Fibrowatt plant is able to remain carbon neutral, creating energy from existing biomass materials,” said Rupert Fraser, CEO of Fibrowatt. “That is one of many environmental benefits that a Fibrowatt plant offers.”
Other benefits include:
- The Fibrowatt plant will be a significant new source of renewable energy, helping North Carolina utilities meet their minimum requirements for renewable energy that are mandated by the state.
- The plant will provide poultry farmers with an important alternative to land application of poultry litter. This should have a positive impact on the region's soil and water resources.
- By contracting with poultry farmers to regularly collect litter, the Fibrowatt plant will ease the manure management burden on area poultry farmers and can minimize the need for long-term storage of litter on local farms, providing additional greenhouse gas benefits and reducing nuisance odor impacts.
