Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) announced that it has received a limited notice to proceed (LNTP) to begin work on a biomass conversion with carbon capture and storage (CCS) at a former coal-fired power plant in Filer City, Michigan.
B&W is working with NorthStar Clean Energy to complete the full contract, which includes a FEED study for the project. B&W can now begin detailed engineering and procurement work, with full notice to proceed expected in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Upon completion of the conversion project, the 73 MW Filer City plant will use biomass as a fuel source, coupled with B&W’s SolveBright post-combustion CO2 capture technology. The scrubbing system absorbs CO2 directly from the plant’s flue gas using a regenerable solvent, which is then recycled for reuse.
B&W’s full scope of work for the conversion project is expected to include engineering, design and supply of equipment to convert the plant to biomass fuel and add carbon capture technology. Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., LLC, will manage the civil and mechanical scope of the project.
The Filer City plant is jointly owned by Tondu Corp. of Texas and NorthStar (a subsidiary of CMS Energy Corporation). The plant generates steam with two Foster Wheeler non-reheat traveling grate spreader stoker boilers. Two flue gas dry scrubbers and two baghouses remove pollutants from the flue gas stream.
