On Sept. 14, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed legislation that will support biomass plants within the state by calling on electricity retailers to enter into five-year contracts for 125 MW of biomass capacity with facilities that generate energy from wood harvested from high-fire-hazard zones.
The bill, SB 859, is part of a package of legislation signed by Brown that directs $900 million in cap-and-trade funds to greenhouse gas reducing programs that benefit disadvantaged communities, support clean transportation and protect natural ecosystems. The legislation was <a href="http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/13650/california-cap-and-trade-expenditure-deal-benefits-biomass" target="_blank">passed by the California legislature</a> in late August.&nbsp;
Information released by the governor&rsquo;s office explains that under currently law, 60 percent of cap-and-trade auction proceeds are allocated on an ongoing basis to public transit, affordable housing, sustainable communities and high-speed rail. Bills signed Sept. 14, including SB 859, AB 1150, AB 2722 and AB 1613, invest $900 million of the remaining unallocated funds for fiscal year 2016-&rsquo;17 and reserve approximately $462 million for appropriation in future years.
The California Biomass Energy Alliance has spoken out in support of the governor&rsquo;s action. &ldquo;We commend Governor Jerry Brown for signing Senate Bill 859,&rdquo; said Julee Malinowski-Bal. &ldquo;The governor understands the importance of the biomass industry as it pertains to the state&rsquo;s renewable energy portfolio standard and the eradication of dead and dying trees from high hazard fire zones.&rdquo;
&ldquo;This law will provide some certainty to the biomass industry which has struggled due to antiquated contracts,&rdquo; Malinowski-Bal continued. &ldquo;Under SB 859, investor-owned utilities and large public-owned utilities must enter into five-year contracts for a portion of at least 125 megawatts of power from biomass facilities that generate electricity through the use of forest materials removed from specific high fire hazard zones.
&ldquo;Most importantly, this law protects hundreds of jobs, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes long-term forest management goals,&rdquo; Malinowski-Bal said. &ldquo;CBEA praises the governor and the Legislature for their ongoing support of the biomass industry.&rdquo;
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California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has signed a bill that will support biomass plants within the state by calling on electricity retailers to enter into five-year contracts for 125 MW of biomass capacity with facilities using certain feedstocks.

California governor signs bill benefiting biomass power

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