Columbia's Renewable Energy Portfolio

By Laura Latzko
news@columbiamissourian.com

WIND

The city purchased, through Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., a portion of the energy generated since September 2007 at the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm in northwest Missouri. The contract calls for Columbia to receive 11 percent of the total output of the farm.

METHANE

At the Columbia Sanitary Landfill, the city began turning methane gas produced by decomposing waste into energy early in 2008. The Columbia Biogas Energy Plant was constructed at the landfill for about $3 million for this project.

SOLAR

Since October 2008, the city has been purchasing solar power from two businesses in Columbia that agreed to install solar panels and sell energy from them to the city. The solar collectors are located at Quaker Oats on Route B and at the city’s West Ash Street Pump Station at Tiger Lane and Bernadette Drive.

WASTEWOOD

In 2008, the city began burning wood chips purchased from a wine barrel production plant in Lebanon, Mo. The city has a temporary permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to burn wood chips in combination with coal. Tad Johnsen, superintendent of the Columbia Municipal Power Plant, said wood is being mixed at a 10 percent to 20 percent ratio with coal when they are burned together.

Connie Kacprowicz of Columbia Water and Light said the city is attempting to get an additional permit from the state to burn more waste wood.

NET METERING AND SOLAR REBATE

The city allows utility customers who have their own solar panels to sell excess energy to Columbia Water and Light. It also provides $500 and $400 rebates for customers who purchase these panels and/or solar water heaters.

ANEMOMETERS

The city received a proposal in June 2007 from MU’s atmospheric science department to establish an anemometer site in Boone County, where wind speeds are measured. The site is located at the KOMU/Channel 8 tower. The project cost the city $11,626, and installation of wind towers was completed in September. Kacprowicz said the project could show whether Columbia has the wind speeds needed to install its own wind turbines.

JEFFERSON CITY LANDFILL GAS PROJECT

The city has a deal with the Ameresco Biogas Plant, located at the Jefferson City landfill, to purchase a portion of the power generated from decomposing gases. As part of this proposal, the city was to receive 2 percent of its annual energy from this project. The city expected to get power from the project in 2008, but delays in construction have caused the starting date to move back. The project is expected to begin in February.

BIOMASS

The city has been talking to several groups, including Gene Sandner’s Missouri Bioenergy LLC and Steve Flick’s Show Me Energy Cooperative, about burning alternative fuels at the Municipal Power Plant in combination with coal. Tad Johnsen, superintendent of the power plant, said he has talked with Sandner’s group several times about the possibility of burning switch grass and other agricultural products, including corn stover, Indian grass and bluestem grasses.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

Renewable Energy possibilities outlined in the Integrated Resource Plan prepared by city consultants include:

* BIOMASS BOILER: One of the ideas outlined in this report is that the city purchase a new boiler that can potentially burn a mixture of coal and biomass materials. The earliest this could go online would be 2015, according to the report. Water and Light Director Kraig Kahler said this option is one of the more expensive outlined in the plan because it would cost $21.6 million to build and would produce no additional energy.

* WIND: The report suggests that the city should look for other sources of wind energy by 2010. The study suggests that the city should enter into a long-term agreement similar to the one it has to purchase wind at the Bluegrass Wind Farm. The report says the city should buy wind power from a wind farm located in Missouri or a nearby state. It says that the cost of this energy should be about $68.55 per megawatt-hour.

* SOLAR: The plan suggests the city continue finding commercial sites where solar panels can be installed and then purchasing power from these companies. The plan says the cost of installing these solar panels should be around $4,000 per kilowatt-hour.