ASHLAND — In honor of the Fourth Annual Bioenergy Day on Oct. 19, ReEnergy Holdings opened the doors of its Ashland facility to state and local representatives, neighboring businesses, residents and suppliers.
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Contributed photo At ReEnergy Ashland during National Bioenergy Day Oct. 19 are, from left, front row: ReEnergy Ashland Administrative Assistant Kelly Jackson, Sen. Roger Sherman, Rep. John Martin, Rep. Anthony Edgecomb, Sen. Peter Edgecomb, Rep. Robert Saucier, Rep. Dustin Michael White, and ReEnergy Fort Fairfield Administrative Assistant Andrea Hadfield. Back row, ReEnergy employees Sheldon Keiser, Ashland shift supervisor; Chad Carter, I&E technician; Travis Theriault, Ashland shift supervisor; facility manager Scott Folnsbee, Mark Bossie, Ashland operations manager; Stacy Sturgeon, Ashland fuel yard operator; Paul Brabant, Ashland maintenance manager; Tim Richards, ReEnergy Holdings wood procurement manager; and Sarah Boggess, ReEnergy Holdings director of communications and governmental affairs. The celebration included recognition awards for members of the northern Maine state legislative delegation for their support of biomass energy laws. |
The local plant was one of more than 50 organizations that took part in Bioenergy Day activities across the United States and Canada, which held to raise awareness about bioenergy and its significant economic and environmental benefits.
In Ashland, the day was celebrated with facility tours, refreshments and a presentation that included recognition awards for members of the northern Maine state legislative delegation. The 10 members of the delegation were celebrated as “champions of biomass energy” for supporting legislation to benefit the sector.
During the presentation, ReEnergy facility manager Scott Folnsbee explained that ReEnergy Ashland generates renewable, homegrown energy from materials that would otherwise be discarded and functions as part of a robust forest products economy in Ashland.
“We wanted to give people an opportunity to see what we do firsthand and learn more about bioenergy,” said Folnsbee. “We are so grateful for the turnout.”
Visitors who participated in the tour had an opportunity to see the control room and the production process up close as the tour guides explained each step of producing renewable electricity from biomass.
Bioenergy refers to the generation of electricity and heat from wood and other organic materials. In 2013, ReEnergy officials said, approximately 23 percent of all renewable energy consumed was from wood — more than wind and solar combined and second only to hydroelectric energy. Ashland has 39 megawatts of generation capacity and produces 284,000 net MWh of electricity each year, which is enough to supply 37,000 homes.
In northern Maine, bioenergy provides the area with many economic and environmental benefits, Folnsbee said. The Ashland and Fort Fairfield biomass plants provide baseload renewable power and supports almost 50 good-paying direct jobs and more than 300 estimated indirect jobs. Many of those jobs are in the fuel supply chain ‚Ä“ logging and mill jobs.
ReEnergy Ashland, along with all the company’s biomass power plants, have achieved certification to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Standard, which verifies that the facility’s biomass procurement program promotes land stewardship and responsible forestry practices. ReEnergy is the first company solely devoted to electricity production to be certified to the SFI Standard.
National Bioenergy Day was sponsored by the Biomass Power Association, Biomass Magazine, the U.S. Industrial Pellet Association, the Pellet Fuels Institute, the Biomass Thermal Energy Council and the U.S. Forest Service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement in celebration of the day, saying “The Forest Service works with its partners to support the development of wood energy projects that promote sound forest management, expand regional economies and create new rural jobs.”
ReEnergy operates in five states and owns three other energy plants in Maine: a 37-megawatt biomass facility in Fort Fairfield, a 39-megawatt plant in Livermore Falls and a 48-megawatt site in Stratton. The company employs more than 100 people in Maine.
