California-based Kiara Solar to spend US$5.5M to restart 7-MW biomass power plant in Anderson, California, by end of 2011, raise capacity to 8 MW; 6 MW-7 MW to be sold to PG&E, remainder to plant's former owner Siskiyou Forest Products

Bdebbie Garcia

LOS ANGELES , August 17, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – Kiara Solar LLC plans to spend US$5.5 million to restart the 7-megawatt (MW) biomass power plant in Anderson, California, formerly owned by Siskiyou Forest Products Inc., by the end of this year, reported Biomass Magazine on Aug. 16.

After the restart, the California-based power generation company intends to raise the facility’s capacity to 8 MW.

Solar panels will be installed next to the power plant in the Phase II hybrid project, said Plant Manager Don Rich, reported the Anderson Valley Post on Aug. 16.

Between 6 MW and 7 MW of the output will be sold to California-based utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co. under the terms of a power purchase agreement, reported Biomass Magazine .

Some of the remaining power will be provided to Siskiyou Forest Products for its kiln drying and wood production operations in Anderson, under the terms of the acquisition, and some will be used in-house, the magazine reported.

The power provided to Siskiyou Forest Products will be in the form of steam to heat buildings and dry green lumber, said Rich, the Anderson Valley Post reported.

By the expected startup date, the biomass power plant should be in compliance with air and water permits, which is currently obtaining, said Rich, who is the primary consultant on the Anderson acquisition, Biomass Magazine reported.

Rich, who was operations superintendent at the plant from 1994 to 2003, will be plant manager when operations resume. The project will create 200 to 250 jobs, estimates Kiara Solar, reported the magazine.

Ten employees, most of them working full-time, will be needed once the plant restarts, said Rich, the Anderson Valley Post reported.

Feedstock for the biomass power plant will be obtained from orchard trimmings and forest and lumber mill residues; nut shells will be used as needed, reported Biomass Magazine.

The primary sources of this article are Biomass Magazine, Grand Forks, North Dakota, and the Anderson Valley Post, Anderson, California, both on Aug. 16, 2011.

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