Winter storm debris adds fuel to MU Power Plant's fire

Some 250 tons of chipped wood from trees downed in December by ice and snow in the Ashland area are being burned this year as renewable fuel at the MU power plant.

Some of the wood — with a BTU value one-half that of coal — already has been burned, a first for the plant in renewable energy from storm debris. Burning of the storm debris aided the City of Ashland with its cleanup efforts, helped reduce MU's fuel costs and benefited the environment by eliminating open burning of the debris and/or its disposal in landfills.

Power plant superintendent Greg Coffin said that the volume of wood to be burned equals the mass of coal carried by 10 coal trucks.

Biomass — or renewable fuels — such as chipped wood, corn cobs, switch grass, etc., along with chipped vehicle tires, comprise over 5 percent of the total fuel burned annually by the plant. This use of biomass, or renewable energy, reduces fuel costs, lowers emissions, and helps the local economy.

The power plant recently contracted to purchase 7,000 tons of waste white oak wood chips from Missouri Mulch in New Florence, Mo., for burning with coal in 2008.