CA Bioenergy Working Group Releases New Recommendations

0 Comments | Renewable Energy Today, April 13, 2006

The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently announced the Bioenergy Interagency Working Group's release of "Recommendations for a Bioenergy Plan for California," which are designed to help accelerate biomass activity for alternative fuels and energy production. CEC noted that the recommendations, which have been forwarded for consideration by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, could be used to guide state policy.

"Bioenergy is critical to California's energy supply and vital to its waste and resource management efforts, including reducing petroleum dependence and achieving climate protection goals," said CEC chairman Joseph Desmond. "The plan lays the foundation for state action to address challenges facing the industry and increase biomass energy use."

Last summer, Schwarzenegger requested the group's recommendations to help him develop an integrated and comprehensive state policy on biomass. Consistent with the governor's direction, the recommendations are intended to create institutional and regulatory changes that could help significantly increase bioenergy use in the state.

According to the commission, the 10-agency Working Group based its recommendations on four policy objectives -- establish bioenergy production and consumption targets, while creating a positive environment for investment in new facilities; enhance and accelerate California research, development and demonstration programs to promote biomass production and use; increase state agency coordination to enhance bioenergy production; and reduce impediments to bioenergy by promoting public awareness of its importance and benefits.

CEC said the report notes that although California is a national leader in using biomass to generate electricity, the state's current use represents just a fraction of what is technically feasible.

"In 2005, two percent of California's electricity supplies were generated using solid waste and landfill/biogas," said CEC. "It is estimated that biomass could provide 20 percent of California's in-state electricity by 2020."

Contact: CEC, website http://www.energy.ca.gov.

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