CWLP now uses corn to supplement coal as the fuel source at three of its coal-fired power plants
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CWLP relies on its coal-fired power plants at the Dallman and Lakeside Power Stations for over 99% of its annual energy requirements. Each year, these plants consume approximately 1.1 million tons of coal to generate about 2 million MWH of electricity. While CWLP has a long-term coal contract, management constantly seeks alternative means to minimize generating costs and keep emissions low.

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Toward that end, in 2002, following inquiries by Minneapolis-based Eco-Logic Services, utility engineers began investigating the possibility of using discarded seed corn as a supplement to the coal burned in the Lakeside and Dallman generating units. The seed corn being offered by Eco-Logic Services was an agricultural product that had passed its expiration date and would, if alternative uses for it could not be found, end up in a landfill. Because it has been chemically treated, the seed cannot be used for animal feeds or other agricultural purposes. Using the seed for nontraditional purposes, such as electric generation, helps reduce the amount of outdated product that must be consigned to landfills. Seed corn is considered a renewable resource and is, therefore, a "green" energy source.

Engineers selected Lakeside as the site for a test burn of the seed corn for two reasons. First, the seed is very close to the size of the crushed coal burned in the Lakeside cyclone boilers. Second, in 2000, a silo had been constructed at Lakeside to allow limestone to be used as a fluxing agent for the Monterey coal that was temporarily being burned there. No longer needed for limestone, the silo was determined to provide an ideal system for feeding the seed into the Lakeside boilers. After obtaining the necessary permitting, the utility began initial testing of the seed corn in the fall of 2002.

Tests showed that a pound of seed provides 7,200 British thermal units (Btu) of heat content, compared to the 10,500 Btu/pound heat content of coal. Engineers determined that a 5% corn/95% coal mixture could be utilized without compromising the heat output required for CWLP's generation process. They also discovered that it would be feasible to burn the seed product in the Dallman 1 and 2 cyclone boilers, as well.

During the test phase, engineers discovered that burning a seed corn/coal mix provided certain benefits to the utility when compared to burning straight coal. These benefits include a slight decrease in both ash and SO2 emissions. By reducing the byproducts of generation, the utility will be able to reduce the costs associated with pollution control and byproduct disposal. The ability to reduce SO2 emissions will be particularly beneficial in the operation of the old Lakeside boilers, which, due to their size and age, have not been equipped with the sulfur dioxide scrubbers installed on the utility's newer Dallman units.

Still another benefit of using seed corn is its lower cost, which will reduce overall generation fuel costs, a savings that can be passed along to customers. For every ton of coal replaced by seed, the utility currently saves about $28, resulting in an estimated annual savings of about $500,000.


Last updated: 01/07/08

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