Biomass development and waste wood co-firing

Abstract

Abstract Waste wood fuels have been co-fired with coal for a number of years. Many utilities and industries have experimented in the development of this alternative fuel for a host of reasons. Utilities are facing major changes in the future and industries are continuously looking for ways to help the bottom line. Waste wood fuel can lower production costs and provide fuel flexibility at a coal-fired power plant. Wood waste from saw mills, wood products manufacturing, land clearing, furniture companies, pallets, particle board, plywood, railroad ties and utility poles all can serve as supplemental fuels. Reduced sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be realized with the offset of the non-renewable coal. New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) has experience in mixing waste wood with coal for co-firing in stoker plants and Pulverized coal units. We are also developing a separate wood feed system to directly blow prepared wood fuel into a pulverized coal boiler. This approach has the potential of increasing the percentage of waste wood that can be burned with coal in a pulverized coal boiler above a rule of thumb 5 % limit when wood fuel is blended with coal. The objective of our paper is to provide some history of waste wood co-firing, identify some pitfalls and address emissions impacts and greenhouse gas reductions from co-firing.