U.S. EPA awards Great River Energy for innovative use of coal combustion products

Award to be presented at Great River Energy Board Meeting on Feb. 7

What: Great River Energy has received the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C²P²) Overall Achievement Award and Waste Wise Beneficial Use-Gold Achievement Award for its work marketing and selling fly-ash and bottom-ash from the company’s two North Dakota generating stations. Great River Energy will be recognized for their efforts by EPA’s Region 5.

Where: Great River Energy Board Meeting, Elk River, Minn.
When: February 7, 2007; 11:30 am (approximate time)

Background

Great River Energy works with Headwaters, Inc., to market fly ash, the material left after coal is burned to generate electricity, in a variety of products, mainly as a replacement for Portland cement in concrete. Using the fly ash in concrete production has two main benefits: 1) Avoids the greenhouse gas emissions associated with cement production, an energy intensive process, and 2) Eliminates the need to dispose of the product in landfills.

Great River Energy Fly Ash Facts:
- 439,000 tons of fly ash from Coal Creek Station were sold in 2006
- 2,000,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions have been avoided since 1997 through the use of Coal Creek Station fly ash in concrete

Fly Ash Used in New, Sustainable Building
Fly ash will also be used extensively in the new LEED Platinum-Certified Great River Energy corporate headquarters currently under construction in Maple Grove. The building, scheduled to open in early 2008, will use up to 50 percent less energy than standard buildings and will be one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in the world when completed.

The new headquarters will use the ash produced at Great River Energy power plants in the building and finishing materials. For example, the backing for carpet tiles will be made from fly ash – fly ash is the lightweight, fine ash produced when coal is burned in power plants. The building’s structural frame will be constructed using 40 to 60 percent fly ash -- as a replacement for Portland cement.

Interviews with David Saggau, Great River Energy’s CEO, and the company’s environmental staff and Margaret Guerriero of the U.S. EPA will be available for interviews about fly ash. Subjects will also be available to discuss the new Great River Energy headquarters.

For more information on LEED buildings, visit www.usgbc.org.