Great River Energy exploring old railway tires as biomass power feedstock

In North Dakota, Prairie Republic reports Great River Energy is exploring replacing coal-fired power for its ethanol production with biomass. Coal Creek Station, which supplied the ethanol facility with power, has been sold. The state’s Industrial Commission has approved a grant for a SEED study exploring the possibility of converting their boiler, fuel-handling systems and ash handling systems to use old railway ties instead. Those railway ties would be sourced from around the Midwest, and although there aren’t a lot of them, there may be a steady enough stream from annual replacement to keep the ethanol plant going.