Minnesota works to boost use of biomass – Plant to create energy from turkey "litter"

Rising on the edge of town here, between the railroad tracks and an ethanol plant, are the cement foundation and water tanks of the most ambitious project in Minnesota’s push to find new ways to create electricity.

The energy plant will burn tons of litter from the turkey farms that dot western Minnesota, enough to power this town of 3,300 people, the farms around it, and then some. After years of delays, the plant — the first of its kind in the country — is expected to begin energy production in 2007.

"Developing a greenfield power plant like this is not an easy job," Carl Strickler, the manager of the Fibrominn LLC project, said recently from a shed serving as his temporary office at the construction site. "It takes a lot of time and a lot of money."

BY GREGG AAMOT

Associated Press

Full Story: http://www.realcities.com/mld/twincities/news/12668590.htm

(Many thanks to The Montana Green Power Newsletter http://www.montanagreenpower.com for passing this along. Russ)