READ FIRST TIME 03/01/13.   

     AN ACT Relating to a pilot program to demonstrate the feasibility of using densified biomass to heat public schools; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   Currently more than a million homes nationwide and approximately fifty thousand homes in Washington state are heated with wood pellets, or densified biomass, in modern high-efficiency appliances. This residential use establishes that many homeowners experience significant cost savings compared to other fossil fuel-based heating systems and that this technology can have a wide and varied acceptance. Bulk delivery that can be facilitated by large volume anchor users such as schools, institutions, and businesses could provide the next step in making this form of renewable energy utilization more efficient and convenient for the consumer. The legislature makes the following findings:
     (1) That manufactured and direct thermal conversion of densified biomass is a renewable energy activity;
     (2) That much of western Europe, China, Japan, and other Asian countries have chosen to use renewable densified biomass as a renewable energy fuel to heat homes, businesses, and other facilities;
     (3) That clean burning, renewable densified biomass will: (a) Lead our country to energy independence; (b) create jobs; (c) stimulate our economy by keeping more of our money circulating in the United States; (d) reduce carbon emissions; (e) improve air quality in noncompliant air sheds; (f) promote healthy forests; and (g) reduce the volume of waste in landfills; that the densified biomass industry will be complimentary to other biofuel industries, providing an outlet and use for the resultant high lignin by-products and agriculture residuals; and
     (4) That a December 2012 report by the Washington State University energy program identified opportunities to develop and expand the in-state manufacturing of densified biomass.
     Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to have the Washington State University energy program conduct a pilot program to demonstrate the feasibility of using densified biomass as a renewable energy source to heat schools and other buildings.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) Subject to receiving federal and private funds for this purpose, by December 1, 2013, the Washington State University energy program must develop and initiate a pilot program to demonstrate the feasibility of using densified biomass to heat public schools. Two public schools must be chosen for the pilot program, using the following criteria: The school's proximity to a currently operating densified biomass manufacturing facility, the age and condition of the school's current heating system, and the school's design is of a nature that most resembles other schools of its class. The pilot program must consist of the following: The replacement of the school's current heating system with one that uses densified biomass as a fuel; the measurement and evaluation of the heating system, including a cost comparison with other conventional fuels; and the measurement of emissions from the heating system. One of the public schools selected for the pilot must be located in a district east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one must be located in a district west of the crest of the Cascade mountains. The school district east of the crest of the Cascade mountains must be located in a county that shares an international border or borders the state of Idaho.
     (2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction must notify all school districts about the pilot project and their opportunity to participate.
     (3) By December 31, 2015, the Washington State University energy program must summarize and report its findings to the legislature. The report must include an analysis extrapolating the results to other similarly situated schools in the state.
     (4) In designing the pilot program, the Washington State University energy program must seek to leverage other existing private and federal funding programs and resources.
     (5) The Washington State University energy program may contract with other entities for assistance in implementing the pilot program.
     (6) The pilot program expires December 15, 2015.