We Energies opens biomass power plant

We Energies, a US electricity services provider, has opened its biomass-fuelled power plant on the site of Domtar's paper mill in Rothschild, Wisconsin.

The new plant will generate 50MW of renewable electricity from wood, waste wood and sawdust.

'The addition of the biomass plant enables us to produce renewable energy on demand,' says Gale Klappa, president and CEO of We Energies. 'That benefit is simply not available with solar or wind generation.'

Domtar, a sustainable paper company, will also use steam produced by the plant to improve the paper mill's energy efficiency and reduce overall emissions at the site by more than 30%.

Under Wisconsin law, utility companies are required to generate 10% of their electricity from renewables by 2015.

The plant opened on 8 November following testing and commissioning activities.