Hawaiian biomass power and processing facility hit auction block

Big Island Carbon LLC’s biomass power plant and activated carbon facility in Hawaii are scheduled to be auctioned off by Tiger Remarketing Services and Aaron Equipment on April 4.

Located on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii, the facility was designed to convert macadamia nut shells into activated carbon, which can then be shipped from the nearby Kawaihae Port to Los Angeles. Additionally, the pyrolysis oil generated from the process could be used as fuel for the biomass power plant.

“Companies involved in the activated carbon industry and in sustainable biomass energy will be interested in this facility, which is initially being offered as a complete facility,” said Jeff Tanenbaum, president of Tiger Remarketing Services.

The site sits on approximately 14 acres of industrial zoned land, which is leased form the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and has all required construction and operating permits for both the processing facility and biomass power plant. Steam for both the processing facility and power plant was generated by a Cleaver Brooks D style package boiler. The boiler was rated to produce 22,000 pounds of superheated steam at 600 psig per hour.

Both the processing facility and power plant contained other equipment set to hit the auction block.  The processing facility included a 40-foot Bartlett-Snow Rotary Calciner and a 2,000 gallon Alstom Power Char Converter Reactor. The power plant included a 1,825 kW Cummins reciprocating diesel engine generator set with an SCR for NOx reduction and an Eliott Ebara manufactured steam turbine that has never been commissioned.

A bankruptcy court order stated the facility must be sold, and Tiger Remarketing Services, with Aaron Equipment Company Inc., are wondering if an operator will purchase the site or if the equipment will be sold for its parts. “Our firm was very successful in 2013 in securing turnkey operators for dormant facilities,” Tanenbaum said. “This is always our top priority. The ability to purchase this facility at distressed asset value creates a huge opportunity for the right company ready to act.”

Big Island Carbon filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Nov. 5, 2012.