The District is supporting the assessment of the air pollutant emissions benefits and economics of energy conversion technology suitable for small-scale distributed systems in Placer County, utilizing woody biomass wastes from forest fuel thinning treatments, timber harvest residues, and defensible space clearings.
We are also an advocate for a regulatory structure that recognizes the full environmental benefits of the use of forest biomass wastes for energy:
- Participated in the creation of the new Feed in Tariff program at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
- Assisted with the development of California Senate Bill 1122 which requires the CPUC to direct the three large Investor Owned Utilities in California to purchase a total of 50 MW of distributed forest biomass generation from facilities that produce less than 3 MW at strategic locations near forested areas at risk for catastrophic wildfire. We are assisting the CPUC by participating in the SB 1122 process:
- Developing a fair power purchase agreement template.
- Making sure that the Investor Owned Utilities implement fair and equitable interconnection requirements.
- Defining the term “strategic location” in content of communities at risk to catastrophic wildfire.