Enel building geothermal-biomass hybrid plant

Calling the facility the first of its kind in the world, Enel Green Power S.p.A. (Rome, Italy) is taking the next step in its development of a power plant that will combine geothermal energy with biomass-fired power. Next to its existing Cornia 2 geothermal power plant in Tuscany, Enel Green Power has begun the construction of a 5 MW boiler that will use locally sourced forest residues as fuel and will add 37 gigawatt-hours of electric power to the Cornia 2 plant’s 13 MW of geothermal capacity. “Hybrid technologies are the new frontier of renewable energy in our efforts to optimize performance, and this facility, which offers an innovative approach to integrating biomass and geothermal energy, is a replicable model that can open new prospects for the development of energy, the economy, and employment for local communities,” said Francesco Venturini, CEO of Enel Green Power. Construction of the biomass part of the facility is scheduled to be completed sometime during the first half of 2015.