Title
Biomass Power Supply Request for Proposals (RFP) (B)
Biomass generating resources have the potential to provide i) cost effective renewable capacity and/or energy benefits, ii) environmental attributes consistent with the preferences of the Gainesville community, and iii) enhanced and reliable energy supply for the GRU system. Staff has drafted a power supply Request for Proposals (RFP) for biomass-fueled base load generation capacity, and wishes to review this proposal with the Commission to be certain the wishes of the Community are appropriately represented.
Explanation
On May 10, 2007 the City Commission selected biomass-fueled generation capacity as a key component of our energy supply planning. On June 18, 2007, the City Commission authorized GRU staff to develop a power supply RFP for biomass-fueled base load generation capacity, including municipal solid waste (MSW) as one source of fuel. A proposal containing the technical aspects of the RFP has been developed and we wish to review its key features before adding the purchasing administrative requirements to the document and issuing it as an RFP on October 15, 2007 (Attachment A). The proposal was reviewed with the Gainesville Energy Advisory Committee (GEAC) on September 17. A number of interested parties have asked for and commented on the draft proposal as well. We wish to review these Commission (Attachment B). The key features of the proposal are: allowable fuels; capacity requirements; fuel availability and unit size; sustainable forest resource management; the criteria for a technology to be considered; contract structures; and the evaluation criteria and selection process. The issues identified by GEAC and others include: truck traffic; the carbon sequestration aspects of waste to energy; consistency with comprehensive plans; enforcement of sustainable forestry practices; competition between MSW-to-energy and recycling; nutrient recycling; and net effects on particulate emissi...
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