Babcock & Wilcox to proceed with coal-to-biomass plant conversion

Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has been granted a limited notice to proceed (LNTP) by NorthStar Clean Energy to begin work on a Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) conversion of a former coal-fired power plant in Filer City, Michigan in the US.
B&W will use its biomass SolveBright post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology.
B&W is working with NorthStar Clean Energy to finalise the full contract in alignment with an extensive front end engineering and design study conducted by B&W for the project.
The LNTP allows B&W to begin detailed design and procurement work while the parties finalise the contract, with full notice to proceed expected in Q4 this year.
B&W’s full contract scope is expected to include engineering, design and delivery of equipment to convert the plant to use biomass fuel and add carbon capture technology.
When the conversion project is complete, the Filer City power plant will use sustainable biomass as fuel – coupled with B&W’s SolveBright process – to generate power with net-negative greenhouse gas emissions.
The plant will be capable of capturing up to 550,000 tons of CO2 annually, which will be permanently stored underground.
"We are excited to work with NorthStar Clean Energy on this very important net-negative CO2 emissions project," said Jimmy Morgan, B&W executive vice president and chief operating officer. "By pairing sustainably sourced biomass fuel with carbon capture, our customer will be able to produce clean energy while eliminating the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions."
"As regulations require plant owners to significantly reduce or eliminate greenhouse gases from their coal-fired power generating assets, fuel-switching paired with CO2 capture can allow these assets to continue to provide economical and reliable baseload energy for many years to come," Morgan added.