Jan 30 2011
Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), a not-for-profit electric cooperative, and Green Energy Team, have entered into an agreement for a biomass-to-energy project. KIUC aims to reduce its dependency on foreign oil.
This project is to provide biomass-fired power to over 8,500 Kaua'i households. It will also create new jobs in power plant construction and operations, and also in agriculture.
The fuel for the biomass-to-energy project will be supplied by short-rotation biomass grown on over 2,500 acres. This will help the diversified agricultural economy to get a boost, while ensuring that lands are used for agriculture. The project will use natural fertilization processes to grow the biomass. This carbon neutral project will help Kaua'i meet its peak demand power needs.
KIUC aims to deploy its solar generation, biomass, battery storage and hydropower -based renewable energy technologies by the end of 2011, and will then lead the electric cooperative utility industry.
Source: http://www.kiuc.coop