Nuclear power complex that integrates biofuel production leads Nuclear Regulatory Commission's new reactor list

Even though Biopact is sceptical of the benefits of the global rush towards building more nuclear power plants, an interesting development comes from the U.S., where a proposed facility will be integrated with liquid and gaseous biofuel production. The project announces that it leads the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's new reactor list as the first green field commercial nuclear plant in over 25 years.

The Idaho Energy Complex (IEC), a holding of Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc (AEHI), is a proposed US$3.5 billion commercial nuclear power generation facility to be constructed on a designated site near Grand View, Idaho. The electricity provided by the nuclear plant would be sufficient to power Idaho's growing needs and allow the elimination of fossil fuels for current power production. Interestingly, excess heat from the nuclear reactor would be used to produce ethanol and biomethane from local crops and agricultural waste.

The biofuel production plant will provide a market for local crops, agricultural waste and livestock and dairy farmers. AEHI has already formed an alliance with local Idaho dairy farmers for the co-production of methane.

Unlike traditional biofuel plants, which often burn the waste streams after ethanol biorefining for the production heat, IEC’s use of waste heat from the nuclear reactor will allow these biomass resources to be reemployed as nutrient enriched feed for beef or dairy cattle, a higher-value use. Animal waste will then be collected and utilized to generate biogas by anaerobic digestion - a process that requires heat, also to be sourced from the nuclear power plant. The IEC is looking into upgrading this biogas to biomethane by separating the carbon dioxide and utilizing it to grow additional crops in greenhouses:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: ethanol :: biogas :: organic fertilizer :: biomethane :: nuclear ::

Organic compost and nutrient-rich digester effluents are also produced by the anaerobic digestion. Organic compost is used as animal bedding or a high value replacement for peat moss in potting mixes at nurseries. Furthermore, organic liquid fertilizers are used in sub-surface drip fertigation systems to more than double conventional yields for crops such as corn and triticale, both of which are utilized as ethanol feedstocks.

AEHI announced that its nuclear/biofuel project tied for the lead on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) list of green field commercial nuclear plants seeking construction and operating application approval. AEHI has selected Unistar Nuclear to assist with completing the NRC approval process for construction of the first Areva advanced nuclear power plant in North America.

According to the company, public support continues to grow in Idaho for this proposed 1600 Megawatt plant, which will both assist the local economy and reduce the state's dependence on imported electricity.

References:
MarketWire: AEHI Leads Nuclear Regulatory Commission's New Reactor List as First Green Field Commercial Nuclear Plant in Over 25 Years - August 21, 2007.

MarketWire: AEHI Forms Alliance With Local Farmers to Co-Produce Methane at Its Proposed Advanced Nuclear Plant in Idaho - August 15, 2007.