Development Plans
Phase 1 - Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Facility
Maine Renewable Energy Consortium, LLC. (MREC) has been developing
a Bio-Energy Eco-Park plan since May 2008. The project is centered on the
construction of a residual forestry bio-mass fueled CHP facility that maximizes energy efficiency.
The development site for the CHP facility is an 18.5 acre tract located at 50
Duck Pond Road, South Portland, Maine within the City’s industrial zone. The
facility will use a hybrid gasification technology to maximize the energy extracted from a green forestry residue for use as a fuel in a syngas-fired boiler producing high pressure steam. The first use of the generated steam will be production of
electricity. Traditional steam driven electrical generation treats exhaust steam as a waste product vented to the atmosphere. MREC will capture exhaust steam for supplemental energy sales within the Bio-Energy Eco-Park. The recovered waste energy steam will be piped to adjacent businesses to displace heating and cooling energy requirements presently provided by hydrocarbon sources.
The combination of thermal sales with electrical generation optimizes the CHP system, resulting in reduced energy costs for the businesses participating as “Thermal Hosts”. Maximizing energy from a renewable source through use of an advanced technology creates a CHP facility with an 83 - 87% energy utilization
efficiency compared to 33 - 35% efficiency for a standard merchant power
generation facility.
The MREC Bio-Energy Eco-Park will be the first such development in the State of Maine and generate significant economic benefits. While supporting present businesses with lower cost energy, this CHP facility has excess capacity that will support future business development and job creation within the Eco-Park. The benefits of this project extend beyond the Industrial Zone of South Portland, Maine. Excess electricity not utilized in the Eco-Park will be distributed through a transmission grade power line located along the CHP site. This connection will allow for distribution of generated electricity through the ISO-New England grid system to
businesses seeking reduced energy cost through wholesale or bi-lateral sales agreements with MREC. This successful project will act as a
catalyst for additional CHP centered Eco-Parks nationwide which can be strategically designed to utilize the local optimal fuel source.
Environmental site assessment for the project is complete, along with a comprehensive scope and cost estimate. Feed stock and energy sales agreements are currently being negotiated in conjunction with project financing. Detailed design, project permitting and procurement of
equipment will commence after completion of financing. Facility
construction will begin upon receipt of all necessary permits and be
operational within 9 months. This project is financially viable as a stand alone development. Phase Two development will add to the project
economics.