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United Power Association <br />P.O, Box 800 · Elk River, MN 55330-0800 · (612) 441-3121 <br /> <br />September 4, 1997 <br /> <br />Mr. Patrick Klaers <br />City Administrator <br />City of Elk River <br />13065 Orono Parkway <br />P.O. Box 490 <br />Elk River, MN 55330 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Klaers: <br /> <br />In June of this year, United Power Association (UPA) submitted a proposal to the <br />Steering Council of the Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program <br />(GLRBEP) requesting partial funding for a biomass-to-energy project in our <br />service territory. The proposal was to install a very small combustion turbine, or <br />microturbine, and operate it on methane gas from a wastewater treatment plant <br />or agricultural processing facility. In mid-August, the GLRBEP advised that UPA <br />was selected to provide a full proposal, which is due September 15, 1997. <br /> <br />After further evaluation of potential sites, we concluded the best site is right in <br />our backyard. The Elk River wastewater treatment plant has digesters which <br />produce methane gas. With approval from Mr. Darrell Mack, this gas was <br />recently sampled and analyzed by a local testing laboratory and was found to be <br />suitable for combustion in the microturbine. This tiny power plant would produce <br />24 kW of power, while consuming approximately 10 cubic feet per minute of <br />methane gas. This appears to be a very small portion of the total methane <br />generated at the treatment plant. <br /> <br />The plan is fairly simple. UPA would install the microturbine near the flare <br />system at the treatment plant, and would include methane piping, electrical <br />connections and all other equipment needed to complete the power plant. <br />Information from the manufacturer currently planning on participating in this <br />project is enclosed so you will have a better idea of how the plant might appear. <br /> <br />In preliminary discussions, Mr. Mack has been very positive about participating in <br />this project. We are now requesting a more formal show of support and <br />participation by the City of Elk River. In addition to providing all the labor, <br />materials and equipment to install and operate the microturbine, UPA will provide <br />the City of Elk River treatment plant with the electrical energy generated by the <br />power plant for the initial six month to one year test period. In exchange, the <br /> <br /> <br />