Business

Savannah River Site Home to Newly-Converted Biomass Plant

March 13th, 2012

A newly-converted coal to biomass plant at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina could save the federal government around $1 billion over the next two decades.

Site officials say the converted plant will serve as a model for Georgia and the rest of the country.

The new biomass plant cogenerates electricity and steam.

Wood chips and old shredded tires are burned in two massive boilers, setting off huge billows of steam. Some of the steam is used for industrial purposes, like heating the facility. The rest goes to turbines that produce electricity.

“It’s the largest biomass cogeneration plant in the country,” said David Moody, manager of the Savannah River site, which is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The new plant replaces a coal-fired unit that had been in operation since the 1950s when the site was producing nuclear bombs for the Cold War arms race.

In addition to nearly a billion dollars in savings, Moody says the conversion will help reduce the site’s carbon footprint.

“This plant versus a coal-fired power plant – there’s over 100,000 ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.” said Moody.

One of the main roles for the new biomass plant is to provide power for a new program that will recycle old nuclear bombs and convert them so they can be used in nuclear power plants.