Georgia project awarded woody biomass grant

We’re excited about the award and about working with the Forest Service to move forward our second woody biomass project in Georgia,” says Penn Cox, President of Rollcast. “This grant will help us utilize more low grade woody biomass from thinning and hazardous fuel treatment operations.

” Rollcast was founded in 2005 and has a portfolio of biomass power projects in development and construction. In addition to the Piedmont Green Power project that will be operational this fall, Rollcast also is asset manager for Cadillac Renewable Energy in Cadillac, MI and has several woody biomass projects in development. In addition to woody biomass, Rollcast also develops projects that utilize anaerobic digestion to convert food and animal waste into biogas and power.

“The US Forest Service Southern Region is encouraged by the quality of Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Proposals received in 2012.” says Dan Len, Biomass Coordinator for the USFS Southern Region. “The Greenway Renewable Power Project will accomplish multiple important objectives for our agency in central Georgia and Alabama. These objectives include increased use of woody biomass from thinning and hazardous fuels treatments, improved market for this low value material and increased use of woody biomass for wood to energy. We look forward to working with Rollcast Energy on the Greenway Renewable Power Project.”

Rollcast expects to begin construction on the 50 MW Greenway project next year and have the project operational in 2015. Funds from the Woody Biomass Utilization Grant will be used for more detailed engineering in an effort to optimize the plant’s ability to utilize low value biomass such as logging residue and residues from hazardous fuel reduction operations in the forests.