MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — MPU looks to the next step in running their power plant on renewable energy.
- Manitowoc Public Utilities has entered Phase 2 of their plan to run their plant entirely on renewable fuel
- They have started an LLC for the purpose of acquiring enough of the special pellets
- There is no set time table on when the plant will run only on renewable fuel
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
This past summer we showed you Manitowoc Public Utilities plan to transition from burning fossil fuels to burning this renewable fuel pellet. Now, I am checking back into the site as they come closer to their goal of burning 100% renewable fuel.
By burning special pellets made from paper and plastic once destined for a landfill , Manitowoc says they can cut emissions by 55% compared to fossil fuels.
"We have to look at ways of making this system deliver more volume,” Chief Operation Officer Jeremy Fischer said in August.
Back then, the plant was burning the renewable fuel, but not nearly as much as they wanted.
"We know that we can do this,” said General Manager Troy Adams. “We are confident that we are able to run both of our boilers on this fuel."
Today, Adams says they've solved their pellet problem by licensing an LLC called Horizon Blends Pellets.
Adams says Horizon Blends will focus exclusively on eventually securing enough pellets to fuel the entire power plant at maximum output.
"The idea is that we will have control over fuel supply to match the life and maybe extended life of the boilers,” Adams told me.
Although a big step Adams and Fischer say there is no time table on when the power plant will fully renewable.
"Now there's more challenges to come and I'm convinced we can do that as well,” said Fischer.
Once the plant transitions to 100% renewable fuel they will divert 18,000 tons of waste from a landfill a month. That's enough to fill the playing surface of Lambeau Field 30 feet high.
"It always feels good to leave your mark on an industry,” Fischer said.
"We want to say that we were a part of preserving generation, not only for our community, but for economic development in the state of Wisconsin,” Adams added.
Another bonus of the renewable fuel is that the pellets are made in the region, keeping those dollars here in Wisconsin. I'll have a story on this process coming soon on NBC 26.
