Biomass plant highlights renewable energy potential -- and pitfalls

[Fledermaus]

For 12 years now, Florida Crystals -- the sugar behemoth -- has been producing electricity from its own sugar cane waste in western Palm Beach County.

Its Okeelanta plant powers the company's sugar mill and refinery at its 155,000 acre-farm complex and sells surplus energy to Florida Power & Light and other utilities. "We grow electricity," quipped Florida Crystals' vice president Gaston Cantens, with a smile. "Not just sugar."

The 140-megwatt plant is the largest biomass power plant in North America and shows the potential for renewable energy in South Florida and nationwide -- but also its limits.

Florida Crystals said others have not followed its lead -- and it could not afford to build a stand-alone plant -- because utilities pay too little for the electricity it sells.

The price would be higher, if the state and nation required utilities obtain more electricity from renewables -- and consumers likely would pay about the same, Cantens said.

Both Gov. Charlie Crist and President Barack Obama back such renewable energy standards.

But Florida's Legislature this year failed to pass a state law, and Congress now is debating a federal one.

Critics contend plans to switch to renewables would be too expensive. Some utilities, including FPL, want the standard broadened to include nuclear power. And some business groups urge more tax breaks and incentives to help utilities pay for the switch.

"If Florida adopts this standard unilaterally, without other neighboring states doing the same thing, we'll put Florida at a competitive disadvantage," warned Barney Bishop, president of Associated Industries of Florida, a Tallahassee-based business group that also backs oil drilling off Florida shores to help solve local energy woes.

But even critics of renewable standards marvel at Florida Crystals' biomass operation: Bishop calls it "extraordinary."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/renewable-energy-florida-0701209,0,3386164.story

[Optical.Catalyst]

1. The switch to renewable would be too expensive - but what is the cost of global warming if we don't?

Clean, renewable energy has to be paid for up front. The cost of global warming will come due as more and more damage is done.

Pay some now or pay a whole lot more later.