Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance » WBIA Members

WBIA staffer Cara McCarthy on ethanol

Jason — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:06:12 +0000

WBIA Member Boldt Wins $255 Million Biomass Plant Contract

Megan — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:39:53 +0000

WBIA member The Boldt Co. won the construction contract for WE Energies new $255 million biomass plant in Rothschild. Boldt will provide all construction services for the plant that is to be built at the Domtar paper mill, and will use wood waste to produce electricity.

The project is now pending approval by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. If approved, work will begin in spring 2011.

This project will help Wisconsin toward complying with the mandate that 10 percent of all the state’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2015. It is another important step for advancing Wisconsin’s biomass industry and securing energy security for our state and nation.

Didion Works to Increase Energy Efficiency

Megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:25:17 +0000

WBIA Member Didion Ethanol has begun work to increase the plant’s energy efficiency using $5.5 million from a recent DOE grant. The project, which will cost a total of $11 million, will decrease energy use while allowing the plant to produce more ethanol. We are proud to see one of our members taking such a big step towards energy efficiency and the improvement of the ethanol industry. The project will also created an estimated 10 permanent positions, plus 75 temporary construction jobs.

Read more about the project in this article in Ethanol Producer Magazine.

Miron Executive Discusses Green Building, New Biorefinery

Megan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:13:23 +0000

Theresa Lehman, director of sustainable services for WBIA member Miron Construction was recently interviewed in the Appleton Post-Crescent about the new green building trend. Miron Construction has been a leader in this field and has shown a deep commitment to renewable energy.

Lehman discusses the new biorefinery they are helping to in Park Falls at the Flambeau River Paper mill:

Miron Construction is involved with an innovative project in Park Falls with the Flambeau River Papers mill. What can you share about that?

As we all know, pulp and paper mills were the bread and butter for the Fox Valley at one time. But paper mills today are having a tough time in the global marketplace. What’s happening in Park Falls is a unique opportunity. What they’re doing is creating a process … taking wood mass and converting it into wax and biofuel.

It takes a tremendous amount of heat to do this and what they’ll be able to do is take the heat to create steam to generate electricity for the plant. This will save a lot of money and help the plant become more competitive.

It certainly is a step toward energy independence and the technology is something that can help paper mills be more competitive in the global marketplace.

This is a key project for the bio industry in Wisconsin. With an ample supply of biomass materials, Wisconsin is poised to be a leader in this area. The Flambeau River project will be the second largest biorefinery of its kind in the US.

We at the WBIA are proud to see one of our members contributing so successfully to building this sector of the bio industry.

Click here to read the entire article.

WBIA Member Miron Construction Named Contractor for $250 Million Green Diesel Plant

Jason — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:13:02 +0000

WBIA member Miron Construction and international engineering and project management company AMEC were recently selected to team up as EPC contractor for Flambeau River Biofuel’s $250 biorefinery. The plant, which will be located at an existing pulp and paper mill in Park Falls, Wisconsin, will be the largest second generation “green diesel” plant in the U.S.

The press release from Miron Construction and Flambeau River Biofuels gives more details about the project:

“The Flambeau River bio-refinery will create permanent, high-skilled operating jobs in the region, long-term logging jobs, and short-term engineering and construction jobs, contributing to the economic stimulus of Park Falls, Wisconsin,” said Butch Johnson, majority owner of Flambeau River Papers and Flambeau River Biofuels.

“The AMEC-Miron team was selected for its experience and innovation in developing green energy and biofuel facilities,” said Johnson. “When completed, Flambeau will have the first integrated pulp and paper mill in North America to run on fossil-free energy.”

Tim Gelbar, President, AMEC’s Power and Process Americas business said: “The Flambeau program has been a long-term strategic focus of AMEC’s and it will play a key role in our continued development of new bioprocesses and the expansion of clean renewable energy.”

“We have been working with Flambeau for two years developing this project” said David G. Voss, Jr., President, Miron Construction. “The Flambeau BioFuels project is key to developing “green fuel” renewable energy alternatives and will have a significant positive economic impact in Wisconsin.”