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Fuel From Farm Waste

Courtesy Cliffs

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Mining company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF) has found the formula to turn waste from local lumber and farming operations into a high-quality, low-carbon fuel source, says William A. Brake, executive vice president at Cliffs and chairman of renewaFUEL, the company’s renewable-energy division. By this September, he says, Cliffs will be churning out 150,000 tons of biofuel a year from its new $19 million production facility in Marquette, Mich.

RENEWAFUEL’s BENEFITS

Cliffs reports that, compared with emissions from burning coal, renewaFUEL cubes emit

• 90% less sulfur dioxide
• 35% less particulate matter
• 30% less acid gas

The plant will produce cubes made from sustainably collected wood and agricultural feedstock to help power two of the company’s nearby mines, as well as a local power utility.

Once the plant is up and running, Brake says, Cleveland-based Cliffs plans to build other biofuel facilities wherever the company can find the right mix of available raw material and coal-burning operations.