Reclaimed Energy and Recycle Land to Green

ByBurning Alternative Fuel

(waste) and Reclaiming Mine Land

Reclaiming Energy and Recycling Land Through Alternative Waste Energy Sources

• An Enhanced Domestic Energy Security through Energy Recovery from abandoned stockpiled energy sources resulting in recycling of energy creating fuel diversification reclaiming and returning land to a productive use

• An Economic Development tool producing construction and long-term employment opportunities regionally and can serve as the focal point to encourage other industry to move to the area to further meet the needs of economic recovery and stimulus

• Environmental Restoration through energy recovery, reclaiming mine land and returning the land to a productive use, mine drainage amelioration, and eliminating the site as a future or existing source from burning (creating methane, carbon dioxide, and other emissions)

Congress

• Has encouraged the development of technologies to convert waste and biomass to energy.

• PURPA played a major role in developing technologies that produced energy by burning waste and biomass

• 75% or more of total heat input must come from these sources

Other Congressional Actions

• Section 29 – Synthetic Coal• Section 45 – Refined Coal• Federal Clean Water Act Remining

Legislation• OSM Remining Incentives

Waste Coal Burned and Land Reclaimed

• Over 175 million tons of waste coal has been burned

• Over 4,500 acres of abandoned mine lands reclaimed

Estimates of Coal Waste Available as Fuel

• Estimates up to 50% of the coal produced• Estimated of 2.5 to 2.5 billion tons of

waste coal• Estimates of 2 to 3 billion tons of coal

slurry• PADEP estimates 248 million tons of

waste coal available in Pennsylvania• Estimate that there is approximately 1.0

billion tons of waste coal available for power generation

Power Generation

• Approximately 5000 MW of Power could be produced over a 25 year period

Climate Change Legislation

• Greenhouse gases– Carbon dioxide–Methane–Nitrous oxide– Ozone– Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Alternative Energy

• Climate Change includes alternative energy-renewable energy standards

• BUT, Many of the “renewable energy sources” have greenhouse gas emissions (Renewable Biomass; Qualified Energy Resources (Landfill gas, wastewater treatment gas, coal mine methane used to generate electricity at or near mine mouth, and qualified waste to energy facilities)

Qualified Waste to Energy Facilities

• Waste as define by FERC should be acceptable in defining “Qualified Waste to Energy Facilities”

FERC Encourage Alternative Fuels by Defining Biomass and Waste

• Biomass means any organic material not derived from fossil fuels

• Note – If the primary source of energy is 50% or more Biomass, the unit shall be considered a “Biomass”

FERC Definition of Waste Includes Recycling Energy from Waste Coal

• 18CFR Part 292 § 292.202   Definitions.• Waste means an energy input that is listed

below in this subsection, or any energy input that has little or no current commercial value and exists in the absence of the qualifying facility industry. Should a waste energy input acquire commercial value after a facility is qualified by way of Commission certification pursuant to §292.207(b), or self-certification pursuant to §292.207(a), the facility will not lose its qualifying status for that reason.

FERC Definition of Waste Continued

• Waste includes, but is not limited to, the following materials that the Commission previously has approved as waste:

• (1) Anthracite culm produced prior to July 23, 1985;• (2) Anthracite refuse that has an average heat content of 6,000 Btu or less per

pound and has an average ash content of 45 percent or more;• (3) Bituminous coal refuse that has an average heat content of 9,500 Btu per

pound or less and has an average ash content of 25 percent or more;• (4) Top or bottom subbituminous coal produced on Federal lands or on Indian

lands that has been determined to be waste by the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or that is located on non-Federal or non-Indian lands outside of BLM's jurisdiction, provided that the applicant shows that the latter coal is an extension of that determined by BLM to be waste.

• (5) Coal refuse produced on Federal lands or on Indian lands that has been determined to be waste by the BLM or that is located on non-Federal or non-Indian lands outside of BLM's jurisdiction, provided that applicant shows that the latter is an extension of that determined by BLM to be waste.

• (6) Lignite produced in association with the production of montan wax and lignite that becomes exposed as a result of such a mining operation;

Waste Definition Continued

• (7) Gaseous fuels, except:• (i) Synthetic gas from coal; and• (ii) Natural gas from gas and oil wells unless the natural

gas meets the requirements of §2.400 of this chapter;• (8) Petroleum coke;• (9) Materials that a government agency has certified for

disposal by combustion;• (10) Residual heat;• (11) Heat from exothermic reactions;• (12) Used rubber tires;• (13) Plastic materials; and• (14) Refinery off-gas. 

Waste Coal Facilities

• Existing– Pennsylvania (14 Facilities)–Montana (1 Facility)–Utah (1 Facility)–West Virginia (2 Facilities)

Planned Facilities

• Pennsylvania (3 Facilities)• Virginia (1 Facility)• West Virginia (1 Facility)

Technology

• Clean Coal Technology – Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion–NSR/NSCR– Bag-House– Dry Scrubbers (new technology)

Emissions

• Low SOx Emissions• Low Nox Emissions• Low Mercury Emissions• Low Particulate Emissions• CO2 emissions from burning fuel

and controlling SOx emissions (using limestone)

Waste Coal Plants in

Pennsylvania

Cambria Cogen Company

Ebensburg, PAThis 85 megawatt cogeneration station is located in the bituminous coal mining region of western Pennsylvania. The plant burns bituminous coal mine refuse (commonly called gob or boney) to generate electricity. It also supplies steam to a nearby nursing home. The plant began operating in 1991.

 Cogentrix Scrubgrass Generating Plant 

Kennerdell, PAAn 83 megawatt "small power production" facility located in western Pennsylvania. The fuel used in the plant is bituminous coal mine refuse. Full operations at the plant began in 1994.

Ebensburg PowerEbensburg, PAThis 50 megawatt cogeneration station is located in the bituminous coal mining region of western Pennsylvania. It utilizes a circulating fluidized bed boiler to combust bituminous coal mining refuse fuel. Steam from the plant is used to heat a nearby state center for mentally-challenged individuals.

•

Inter-Power/AhlCon Partners LPColver, PA This plant began operations in May 1995. It is located in the bituminous coal mining region of western Pennsylvania. The plant is equipped with a single, large circulating fluidized bed boiler capable of producing 102 megawatts of electricity. As a "small power producer," the plant does not furnish steam for other industries. This is one of Pennsylvania's newest bituminous waste burning plants.

Piney Creek LP

Clarion, PAThis is a 32 megawatt small power production facility located in western Pennsylvania that began operations in 1992. The fuel used in the plant is bituminous coal refuse.

WPS Westwood Generation LLCTremont, PAWPS Westwood Generation, LLC operates the Westwood Generating Station located in Tremont, Pennsylvania. The 30-megawatt power plant uses a Circulating Fluidized Bed boiler that converts waste coal into low-cost power. Steam from the plant drives a 40,000 horsepower generator that produces enough energy to serve 45,000 homes.

Wheelabrator Frackville Energy Company

Frackville, PAThis 42 megawatt cogeneration station is located in eastern Pennsylvania. Steam from the plant is used to heat a nearby state correctional facility. The plant is located on the site of an abandoned coal mine and burns anthracite coal mining refuse in a circulating fluidized bed boiler.

Gilberton Power Company

Frackville, PA This 80 megawatt cogeneration plant is located in the anthracite coal mining region of eastern Pennsylvania. It is equipped with two circulating fluidized bed boilers that use anthracite coal mining refuse (culm) for fuel. Steam from the plant is used to heat a nearby state correctional facility. The plant was placed in operation in 198

Schuylkill Energy Resources Inc.

Shenandoah, PAThis is an 80 megawatt facility equipped with a single circulating fluidized bed boiler burning anthracite coal mining waste. This plant began commercial operations in 1989.

Northeastern Power CompanyMcAdoo, PAThis is a 50 megawatt cogeneration station. Known as NEPCO, the plant is located in the eastern, anthracite coal mining region of Pennsylvania. It uses a circulating fluidized bed boiler to combust anthracite coal mining refuse (culm). Steam from the plant is used in a 20 acre greenhouse specializing in flowers.

Panther Creek Partners LP

Nesquehoning, PAThis is an 83 megawatt small power producer located in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania. Fuel for the plant is anthracite coal mining refuse. The plant was placed in operation in 1993.

Northampton Generating Company LLC

Northampton, PAThis is a 107 megawatt power plant in eastern Pennsylvania. The plant burns anthracite coal mining waste using a circulating fluidized bed process.

Kimberly Clark – Chester Plant

Chester, PAThis is a 60 megawatt Power Plant located in Delaware County.  Operating since 1986 Kimberly Clark uses the generated steam from the power plant to produce Kimberly Clark Paper Products at their paper product plant, next door.

Mount Carmel Cogeneration Facility

Marion Heights, PA This is a 47.3 MW

Foster-Wheeler CFB Boiler burning anthracite culm and selling energy to the PJM and steam/hot water to the adjacent hot house facility.

Reliant –Seward Waste Coal Plant

Seward, PAThe 521-megawatt Seward plant, built on the site of a 1921 coal-fired power plant that was retired in 2003, will use those piles of waste coal as fuel to produce more electricity than the old plant, with significantly lowered emission rates.

Planned Waste Coal Plants • Green Energy Resource Recovery Project– 600 MW -

Nemacolin (Green County), PA– At the site of an old LTV Coal Refuse Disposal Site

• River Hill Energy Power Project – 290 MW –Karthaus Township, Clearfield County, PA- From Abandoned Coal Refuse and active coal mine waste

• Robinson Power Project – 300 MW – Robinson Township, Washington County, PA– Champion Coal Refuse Site is primary source of coal refuse

Waste Coal Plantsin

West Virginia

Grant Town Power Plant

Grant Town, WV This is an 80 MW

waste coal power plant that commenced operation in 1993 burning bituminous coal refuse. The plant sells the generated electricity to Allegheny Power

Morgantown Power Station

Morgantown, WVThis is a 50 MW waste coal power plant commencing operation in 1992 selling electricity to Allegheny Power and steam to West Virginia University.

Waste Coal Power Plant in

Utah

Sunnyside Waste Coal Power Plant

Sunnyside, UtahThe Sunnyside power plant began operations in May of 1993. The electricity it produces is sold to Pacificorp operating as Utah Power and Light (UPLC).

Waste Coal Power Plant in

Montana

ColStrip – Rosebud Waste Coal Power Plant

Rosebud County, Mt.Colstrip Energy Limited Partnership (“CELP”). CELP is a 38 MW waste coal fired power project located in Rosebud County. CELP began commercial operation in May of 1990.

Waste Coal and Mine Land Reclamation

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