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The Upper Peninsula's forest products industry could provide materials for biomass-powered electricity generation.

(Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

LANSING, MI -- The Upper Peninsula has been through the electricity wringer recently, leaving some Yoopers hoping for a U.P. energy solution and, well, looking around them.

"We seek a U.P. solution to a U.P. problem," said Melissa Davis, President of Keweenaw Renewable Energy Coalition, at a Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council conference this week.

One thing her organization is looking at is the possibility that the U.P. could generate power from biomass, which is plant-based material that's often a byproduct from the forest products industry.

Michigan already supports several biomass plants, said Gary Melow, director of Michigan Biomass. Many are in the Lower Peninsula, but he said the forest products and paper industries have been using their byproducts to make their own energy for... well, a long time.

"The forest products industry has been using the same byproduct wood fiber for their energy needs for centuries," Melow said.

Biomass isn't very affected by new Environmental Protection Agency rules and doesn't release toxins like mercury. It's more consistent than wind and solar, Melow said, so it makes good baseload generation.

Other industries in the U.P. have started to take note. That's the case with Traxys North America, a company in the metals, minerals and mining industries. They established a 20 megawatt biomass facility, L'Anse Warden Electric Company, west of Marquette.

But JR Richardson of Traxys said the plant was successful because the company itself financially backed it. To build more biomass plants, the U.P. is going to need investors and an agreement from somebody to buy the power it produces.

"No one's going to build a plant in the U.P. unless they have a purchase power agreement," said Richardson, a lifelong Yooper.

The good news about investment, according to Andy Levin of Levin Energy Partners, is that the U.P. has a Midwestern appeal to rich investors on the West Coast.

"Michigan in general and the U.P. is sexy to these people driving around on the 405 or whatever highway in their convertible," Levin said.

One other thing the U.P. has looked at is how to get power transmitted into the peninsula. Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed exploring connecting the power grids in the upper and lower peninsulas. Another option is bringing in transmission from Wisconsin.

But some Yoopers aren't sure bringing energy in is the best solution.

"I think that we've got to see what the prices are. I think we have to look back historically when the up had more industry than it does now, we had more population. What we used to do, we were generating our power up there. So I look historically to see maybe that's again our future," said Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet).

Richardson pointed out that importing energy doesn't create jobs. He'd like to see more jobs created and investment locally.

When it comes to local economic benefits, the track record of biomass in the state is clear, Melow said.

"Biomass is a part of the energy conversation. It does bring diversity and local jobs and economics and forest health and resource and forest waste products benefits in addition to providing electricity," Melow said.

And for some Yoopers looking about their pleasant peninsula, it just makes sense.

"You couldn't find a place with more natural resources," Melow said.

Emily Lawler is a Capitol/Business reporter for MLive. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler.