Seattle Steam switching from gas to wood fuel

The earliest settlers of Seattle burned wood to keep themselves warm.

One of modern-day Seattle’s biggest suppliers of heat plans to do the same.

Seattle Steam Co., which operates two plants that produce steam for heating downtown office buildings, hotels and hospitals, plans to replace a natural gas-fired boiler with one that uses recycled and "urban" wood as its fuel.

Stan Gent, president of Seattle Steam, said the company hopes to have permits in hand for the $18 million project, at its Western Avenue and Union Street plant, within a month. Construction could start shortly afterward, and be done by February 2007.

By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER

Full Story: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/265015_seattlesteam31.html