Koochiching County Receives Funding for Plasma Gasification Study
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signs bill appropriating $400,000 for a feasibility study of plasma gasification technology.
International Falls, MN, May 14, 2007 - A $400,000 grant has been awarded to the Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA) for a plasma gasification feasibility study. The proposed facility, to be located in International Falls, MN, would be operated by Koochiching County and be the first of its kind in the United States
The proposed plasma gasification operation would utilize garbage and biomass by superheating the materials in an oxygen-deprived vessel and converting them into renewable energy. The process provides an environmentally friendly alternative to land filling. The feasibility study will examine the scope and size of the project and answer questions such as where the waste will come from, who will buy the energy, emissions output and operational issues.
Dr Louis Circeo, director of plasma research at Georgia Tech Research Institute, is optimistic about the outcome of the study. "I believe that this feasibility study will indicate the potential benefits of plasma technology to process municipal wastes in a clean, efficient and cost effective manner. At the same time the ability of this technology to create significant amounts of renewable energy to alleviate the energy crisis in the US should be clearly demonstrated."
Koochiching County Commissioner Mike Hanson sees the feasibility grant as an important step in the journey to bring renewable energy to Northern Minnesota. The next step is developing criteria and requesting proposals from qualified engineering firms to conduct the study. "We hope to be considering proposal submissions in six weeks," states Hanson.
Expressing the enthusiasm that is felt by many involved in this project is John Howard of Minneapolis-based Coronal, the project developers. "This is a great day for Minnesota and an exciting time for renewable energy projects. Leaders have risen above partisan politics to do something really positive for the state." Noting the forward-thinking leadership that exists in Northern Minnesota, Howard states, "We are thankful to be working with the KEDA on this project. We presented this idea to several counties and only Koochiching County was willing to give it a shot. They said yes before renewable energy was fashionable and now find themselves on the cutting edge of this movement."
About the Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA): KEDA was created by statute in 2000 as a joint powers development authority between the City of International Falls and Koochiching County. KEDA was created to centralize and coordinate the economic development efforts throughout Koochiching County. Its primary focus is on job retention, creation, and diversification. KEDA is the point of contact for businesses looking to start, expand, or locate in Koochiching and can assist in site selection, economic assistance, workforce information, and simplifying the process. For more info visit www.businessupnorth.com.
