About six years ago, Ameresco broke ground at the Savannah River Site to start its biomass operation.
On Monday, the company broke ground on Phase II of the operation, which is now the largest biomass-cogeneration plant in the nation.
Ameresco Inc. is an energy-efficiency and renewable-energy company headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts.
The new plant will increase steam security and provide additional green power at the Savannah River Site, all funded through the Energy Department's Energy Savings Performance Contract.
The contract was executed in 2009 for the construction of the 20 megawatt biomass-cogeneration facility.
Ameresco President George Sakellaris stood alongside South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson, SRS Manager Dave Moody and several other officials to celebrate the start of a new project for a biomass-heating plant.
The plant will be in the southeast corner of the 35-acre Ameresco site. The heating plant will include a new biomass-fueled boiler and relocation of the existing package boiler to a new building. According to a press release, Ameresco also will install a new truck tipper and fuel-handing system to facilitate the biomass deliveries.
The steam produced from the new plant will be supplied throughout SRS's existing distribution system. Providing steam from the new plant will allow for the existing biomass-cogeneration facility to direct more steam to the turbine generator, resulting in approximately 3-4 megawatts of additional power for SRS.
During its first three years of operation, the existing biomass facility has generated approximately 5.8 billion pounds of steam and more than 330,000 megawatts of electricity.
"We've built an award-winning, large-scale sustainable power resource that will provide even greater long-term value as a result of the steam plant modifications," Sakellaris said.
According to Ameresco, the company employs about 27 workers on site, and the Phase II project is expected to bring another 40 to 60 construction jobs. Construction on the project is expected to begin in June, and the plant is scheduled to be operational in spring 2016.
Wilson applauded the steam energy and construction jobs effort of Ameresco, stating the Energy Savings Performance Contracts can save taxpayer money while producing green energy.
Wilson also spoke about Ameresco's efforts after the February 2014 ice storm. The company used nearly 21,000 tons of wood from Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties in South Carolina, and Burke and Hancock counties in Georgia as a source of renewable energy.
"It's so inspiring to me the information they provided, the commitments they made, and then the commitments being fulfilled," Wilson said.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter with the Aiken Standard. He joined the paper in June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.
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