Le Lézard
Classified in: Environment
Subject: Statement

CBEA Applauds Legislature and Governor for the Passage of Senate Bill 1109


Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1109 by Senator Anna Caballero, which extends requirements on electric investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to procure energy from biomass generating electric facilities by five years.

"CBEA applauds the Legislature and the Governor for their work to promote healthy forests and renewable energy by passing and signing Senate Bill 1109," said Julee Malinowski-Ball, Executive Director of the California Biomass Energy Alliance. "We are especially grateful for Senator Anna Caballero's hard work in support of the biomass industry and its thousands of direct and ancillary jobs."

This law calls on the IOUs to extend existing contracts or procure 125 megawatts (MWs) of sustainable and renewable power from biomass generating facilities.

"SB 1109 is the right bill at the right time supporting California forest, energy, and climate policy," added Malinowski-Ball.

Over the past 16 months, millions of California's 33 million acres of forestland have burned. At this rate, much of California's forests may be lost forever by mid-century. The clean water, fresh air, carbon sequestration, forest products, recreation, and biodiversity these forests make possible will disappear.

Leaving excess forest waste and overgrowth material in the state's ecologically stressed forests leaves the forests at high risk of massively destructive wildfires, impedes the function of watersheds, diminishes wildlife habitat, and has other adverse effects on the forests. Undisturbed mature forests in California typically had a canopy-closure density in the neighborhood of 60 percent. Some of the state's overgrown forests today have canopy closures above 90 percent. These forests are being choked, and, as a result, they cannot provide the level of ecosystem services they should be able to.

Existing biomass facilities consumed almost 1.3 million bone dry tons of wood waste last year alone, with most of that coming in as forest waste. The biomass facilities are taking the forest waste and cutting criteria pollutant emissions by up to 98% with highly controlled emissions technologies compared with open burning.

"The biomass industry will continue to be an essential tool in reducing greenhouse emissions by providing clean, green, sustainable renewable energy," said Julee Malinowski-Ball.

The California Biomass Energy Alliance (CBEA) promotes biomass energy to reach California's environmental and economic goals. CBEA represents biomass facilities as well as providers of fuel, equipment, and services for the facilities. There are currently 23 operating solid fuel biomass power plants in 17 counties throughout California.


These press releases may also interest you

28 mar 2024
Anaergia Inc. ("Anaergia" or the "Company") , a global renewable fuels leader, is pleased to announce that, following the initiation on March 28, 2024 by Marny Investissement SA ("Marny") of a C$13.6 million wire payment and its bank confirmation of...

28 mar 2024
Anaergia Inc. ("Anaergia" or the "Company") announced today that there will be a delay in the filing of its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023, audited annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended December...

28 mar 2024
The opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024 was held in Boao, south China's Hainan Province on Thursday, with China's top legislator Zhao Leji stressing China's economic potential, appealing to international investors...

28 mar 2024
Curio Legacy Ventures (Curio), a frontrunner in nuclear technology innovation, proudly announces a strategic partnership with Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc. (Navarro). This collaboration signals a significant step forward in advancing nuclear...

28 mar 2024
On March 19, DMEGC Solar received the Acknowledgement of Manufacturer's Laboratory Competence issued by TÜV Rheinland, a global certification agency, proving its excellence in PV module R&D and quality control. The acknowledgement is TÜV Rheinland's...

28 mar 2024
Midea Group: Background: Midea Group, a leading global technology group, recently released its 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report with ambitious sustainable development goals set for 2030. They include achieving over 500...



News published on and distributed by: