Which faces brighter prospects in Cascadia, biodiesel or coal? Two reports today make a case for each.
Seattle's Imperium Renewables is trying to make a business case that biodiesel can be cheaper than traditional fuel. The company recently began construction on a plant in Aberdeen to supply 100 million gallons of biodiesel a year. It says it can compete as long as crude stays about $43 a barrel, according to a story in The Seattle Times.
Meanwhile Energy Northwest, a consortium of power companies, is pushing ahead with plans for a $1 billion coal gasification plant in southwest Washington, according to The Columbian. Enthusiasm for the project may have cooled since last month, when voters approved a measure requiring utilities to generate more of their power from renewable energy. Still, Energy Northwest says there will be plenty of demand for the coal plant to balance the fluctuation in production from wind or other sources.