Giant cane to keep Oregon power plant operating, past 2020 coal cut-off

In Oregon, Portland General Electric expects giant cane to keep its coal-powered plant operating past 2020 when the company must shut down its 585MW coal-based energy production.  To do so would require between 60,000 and 90,000 acres of locally-produced giant cane but area farmers are concerned about the impacts of converting food acres in Oregon’s breadbasket region to energy production.

The company will process the cane using torrefaction and expects a test burn in 2013.