Review starts for Central Valley solar thermal-biomass plant

COALINGA 

    

March 11, 2009 12:08pm 

•  Would be built in Fresno County

•  Could generate over 100 Megawatts

Architect's rendering of Martifer's Central Valley plant

The official review has started by the California Energy Commission for what is believed to be the first solar thermal-biomass hybrid electric generating facility in the state.

The commission on Wednesday found the application for certification of the 106.8-megawatt San Joaquin Solar 1&2 hybrid power plant project "data adequate."

This means the commission has received enough information from the applicant for the two plants, a wholly owned subsidiary of Martifer Inc. of San Francisco, a unit of Martifer Group of Lisbon, Portugal, to start the year-long certification process.

The commission has named Julia Levin to lead the committeec to review the project. Commission Vice Chairman James Boyd is the associate member.

The committee makes sure the project meets the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act and will examine public health and safety, environmental impacts, and engineering aspects of the proposed power plant.

The project will be located six miles east of Coalinga in Fresno County. It will be comprised of two hybrid plants with a solar field and a biomass facility capable of producing 53.4 MW net of solar electricity each. During nighttime and periods of cloud cover, the solar production will be supplemented by the biomass facility fueled by agricultural wood waste.

If approved by the commission, the project is expected to be on line by the first quarter of 2011.