Duke Energy's biomass plan comes under fire (Charlotte)

Two environmental groups and North Carolina’s leading sustainable-energy organization are objecting to Duke Energy Carolinas’ request for regulators to certify two of its coal plants as renewable-energy biomass facilities.

Duke Energy has asked the N.C. Utilities Commission to register its Buck Steam Station in Salisbury and its Lee Steam Station in Williamston, S.C., as renewable-energy facilities. Duke intends to use wood as well as coal to fire the plants.

The registration will allow Duke to qualify for renewable-energy certificates for the share of power at each plant produced from biomass fuel. The utility could then use the certificates to offset phased-in requirements for renewable-energy construction over the next few years.

But the Southern Environmental Law Center, representing itself and the Environmental Defense Fund, have filed objections. They note the state law says only “wood waste” qualifies as biomass fuel. They say the wood Duke used in its tests were chips from whole trees cut from forests.

The groups say the commission should either deny Duke’s request or delay a decision to allow the N.C. General Assembly to clarify whether such wood chips qualify as waste.

Read the full story in the Charlotte Business Journal.