West Biofuels has officially opened its Hat Creek Bioenergy facility, a biomass-to-energy plant that transforms forest biomass into renewable electricity and carbon-sequestering biochar, helping to prevent wildfires while creating local employment opportunities.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony on 15 October marked the launch of this flagship facility, the culmination of years of collaboration with local, regional and state partners.
Hat Creek Bioenergy supplies clean energy to the local grid while supporting sustainable forest management in the Burney area.
“This is a proud and exciting moment for our team, our partners, and the community,” said Matt Summers, Chief Operating Officer of West Biofuels. “Hat Creek Bioenergy demonstrates how clean energy, forest stewardship and economic opportunity can go hand-in-hand. It provides a practical local solution for reducing fire risk.”
The facility employs 15 skilled plant operators, most of whom are drawn from the Burney community, while its construction phase created over 60 temporary jobs.
Hat Creek Bioenergy processes residual forest biomass collected from approximately five square miles of forest each year, contributing to wildfire mitigation.
Over the lifetime of the facility, it is expected to help manage more than a hundred square miles of surrounding forest, significantly reducing the risk of catastrophic fires.
The project was supported by a coalition of investors and partners, including primary investors Peter Paul and Mieko Willoughby.
Key grant support came from the California Energy Commission (CEC) in partnership with the Fall River Resource Conservation District.
Early contributions were also received from the US Forest Service and the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), with ongoing support from CalFire, including a Biomass Transportation Subsidy, aiding feedstock logistics.
West Biofuels opens Hat Creek Bioenergy facility
