Construction of a 5-megawatt biomass plant near Dobbins in Yuba County is set to proceed, thanks to a $7 million grant and an $8.3 million low-interest loan approved by the Yuba Water Agency for the Camptonville Community Partnership. The plant will process woody material from forest restoration projects in the Yuba River watershed, enhancing efforts to improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, reported Renewable Magazine.
Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey highlighted the urgency of such projects, noting, “As we witness the damage from the Park Fire in neighboring Butte County, we are reminded of the serious wildfire threat and the crucial role of projects like this in strengthening forest resilience.”
As per media report, Currently, forest restoration projects in Yuba County and the broader North Yuba River watershed face challenges as contractors must transport woody material to distant biomass plants or secure permits to burn it on site. The new plant in Dobbins will lower the cost of these projects and provide new jobs and business opportunities for the local community.
Yuba Water Watershed Manager JoAnna Lessard explained, “Transporting wood chips and other materials from treatment sites is expensive, increases emissions, and is often not covered by state and federal grants. A local biomass plant will eliminate a major obstacle to scaling up forest health and wildfire risk reduction efforts in the region.”
The Camptonville Community Partnership owns the land for the biomass plant and is finalizing agreements with Pacific Gas & Electric for interconnection and power purchase. These agreements include plans to upgrade electrical infrastructure to integrate the plant into the grid once operational.
Partnering with Engeman Energy for construction and operations, the Camptonville Community Partnership aims to have the plant operational by 2026. Both Camptonville Community Partnership and Yuba Water are members of the North Yuba Forest Partnership, which has identified the lack of a local biomass facility as a significant barrier to completing necessary forest health treatments in the Yuba River watershed.
The partnership is working on a large-scale restoration of 275,000 acres of Sierra Nevada forests to mitigate wildfire risks. Yuba Water, which manages the New Bullards Bar Dam and Reservoir among other key facilities, has long supported the project and previously contributed funding for planning and land acquisition.
This new funding round will support the biomass plant’s construction with a 20-year loan at a 3% interest rate.
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