West Biofuels to Receive Up to $30 Million from U.S. Department of Energy for Forest Biomass to Renewable Power Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected West Biofuels to receive up to $30 million for three forest biomass to renewable electricity projects. The projects will be in Burney (Shasta County), Mariposa, and Mammoth Lakes (Mono County). The funds will help these rural communities convert forest biomass into renewable energy and biochar, generating carbon negative emissions and providing a reliable source of power.

‍Burney, Mariposa, and Mammoth Lakes are small, remote, and mountainous communities often threatened by wildfires and faced with frequent power outages due to extreme weather. Each facility is targeted to generate three megawatts of reliable, clean electricity production by utilizing 28,000-35,000 dry tons per year of forest residuals. Each project will offset up to 53,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually from fossil energy displacement, fire mitigation, and biochar sequestration. Each site plans to create 15 permanent and good-paying jobs to support the local community. The projects will also provide much-needed good jobs in rural communities.

West Biofuels is partnering with a number of other BAC members and public agencies to develop these projects, including Fall River Resource District, Mariposa Biomass Project, Mariposa County Resource Conservation District, Whitebark Institute, and Momentum, as well as U.S. Forest Service, California Energy Commission, and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

For more information about these projects and West Biofuels, please click here.