maineguy’s Recent Comments

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  Before you get carried away maybe you should know the facts.  While the tax credit has been available since 2005, the paper industry did not begin using it until mid-2008.  Secondly, it is just flat out wrong that "more"  petroleum based fuel is being burned because of the credit.  The mixture requirements which Congress established require just  on tenth of one percent diesel in the mix.  And from the companies I am familiar with they have found that this extra btu value has improved the efficiency of thier black liquor boilers allowing them to cut back on the oil they burn elsewhere.  All of these boilers have oil burners for flame stabilization and what appears to be happening is that mixing the oil into the black liquor does stabilize the flame allowing the companies to reduce the oil in their separate burners. Overall the credit has in fact reduced oil use in these facilities.  So just simmer down.  What you should be doing is praising the paper industry who for years have tried to  squeeze every ounce of fuel value out of its organic  waste products to reduce fossil fuel use.  They were the leaders in installing biomass boilers which burned the bark and waste wood coming out of their woodyards, and black liquor is one of largest sources of alternative fuels used in the United States. Maine has over 50% renewable energy in its power mix due in part  to the huge contribution of paper mill biomass boilers electricity production and the hydroelectic power the paper companies installed many decades ago. 

  On U.S. government paying industry to pollute posted 8 months ago 2 Responses