Two northern Minnesota cities—Grand Marais and Ely—are looking to change the way they heat their homes and buildings. “We’ve got biomass coming out of our ears,” said Dave Olsen, a member of the Ely Alternative Energy Task Force; and it is with this biomass that the two communities would switch from fuel oil or propane to wood-burning district heating systems. Although the project is only in its planning stages, there is much excitement about the multi-faceted switch benefits.
One such benefit is a reduced forest fire risk. The local Grand Marais forest fire safety campaign, Firewise, asks homeowners to clear forest brush as a way to protect their homes from any potential fires. These efforts result in large piles of sticks and leaves at designated drop-off gravel pits. It was the destroying of these piles (through burning on low fire risk days), that sparked the idea to more efficiently use this abundant natural resource.
In order to get a grasp on the potential for biomass heating, the Ely Alternative Energy Task Force narrowed in on two possible projects: the community college and another that would heat the hospital, school district, and possibly some larger businesses. Next, a state-funded analysis by Dovetail Partners took a look into the economic, environmental and fuel supply issues for both Grand Marais and Ely. The next step for both cities will be to formulate a business plan outlining who owns the facilities, who the customers will be, and how much they will pay.
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