Fuels approval process   • Madison General Fuels Corp. locates fuel sources. • MGF does an initial evaluation to be sure they are clean, consistent and cost less than coal. • MGF then provides information and sample material to our Blount laboratory for testing and analysis. • Once MGE is convinced the material would be a good fuel source, we forward our information with a request for approval to the DNR.

Helping the environment
Burning alternate fuels helps the environment in several ways:

• Saves landfill space from material that cannot otherwise be recycled.
• Reduces sulfur dioxide emissions, which contribute to acid rain.
• Reduces the amount of ash produced in the Blount Station.

History of alternative fuels at MGE

• MGE has been testing and using various kinds of pre- and post-consumer wastes for electricity production for over 20 years.
• Blount Station was one of the first electric generating stations in the country to use its steam boilers to burn alternate fuels such as waste paper and plastic.

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF)

• In 1974, MGE worked with the City of Madison to develop a joint energy recovery project using municipal solid waste as utility boiler fuel.
• Beginning in 1979, the City delivered RDF from Olin Avenue Waste Recovery to MGE for use in our two largest boilers.
• This operation continued until 1993 when the City could no longer supply the waste.
• During operation, MGE burned an average of 5 to 6 tons of RDF per hour per boiler when the electricity demand was sufficient to operate the plant at 60% or more load.
• During the same time, the City dramatically reduced its landfill needs.

Switchgrass

• Is an easy-to-grow prairie grass that could potentially be produced locally.
• Can be dusty and hard to handle and store—but these are not insurmountable problems if it can be regularly burned, cost-effectively.
• MGE is currently funding three years of switchgrass research by the University of Wisconsin Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment through the MGE Foundation.
• Was test burned by MGE in 1995 and 1996 at Blount.
• Test burn pilot project jointly funded by MGE, the Electric Power Research Institute and the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

Pre-consumer waste

• When the RDF operation ended in 1993, MGE continued to seek out and burn a variety of pre-consumer wastes such as clean, separated and nonrecyclable waste paper products or other comparable sources.
• Benefits included helping reduce the quantity of wastes going to landfills and reducing sulfur dioxide air emissions.
• MGE began working with Madison General Fuels Corp. to supply these fuels and operate our on-site alternate fuel facility.
• Madison General provided us with various paper and non-PVC poly/fiber products.

Poly-derived fuels (PDF)

• In 1997, MGE added 7,200 square feet of storage at the Blount Station for paper and PDF.
• These alternate fuels have a high-energy content and cost less than coal.
• They produce less ash and lower emissions than coal.
• Environmental Cooperative Agreement provides approval to burn more PDF as long as all air emission guidelines and regulations are maintained.