About the Study
Connecting Point completed a Biomass Recycling-to-Energy Feasibility Study exploring whether agricultural residues across Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, and Yolo Counties could support a small-scale biomass recycling-to-energy project. The study examined available biomass resources, technology, costs, infrastructure, workforce, regulatory considerations, and community priorities to determine whether the concept warrants further development.
Exploring opportunities for agricultural biomass in Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, and Yolo Counties
Connecting Point, in partnership with regional and technical partners, completed a Biomass Recycling-to-Energy Feasibility Study examining whether agricultural residues generated throughout Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, and Yolo Counties could support a small-scale biomass recycling-to-energy project.
The study evaluated feedstock availability, technology, economics, regulatory and land-use considerations, transportation and infrastructure, workforce capacity, and community priorities. Its purpose was to determine whether the concept is strong enough to warrant further project development—not to select a site or approve construction.
What Did the Study Find?
The study found that a small-scale agricultural biomass recycling-to-energy project in the four-county region is conditionally feasible and warrants advancement into a more focused pre-development phase.
The analysis found substantial agricultural biomass resources throughout the region and did not identify a technical, feedstock, regulatory, land-use, workforce, or community issue that would prevent the concept from moving forward for additional evaluation. However, future development would still require a specific site, confirmed feedstock agreements, project-level financial analysis, an energy or product customer, and additional utility and permitting work.
Continuing the Community Conversation
Community input was an important part of the feasibility study. Previous engagement sessions gave residents, growers, local organizations, and other stakeholders opportunities to identify potential benefits, raise concerns, and share the conditions they believe should guide any future biomass project. Those perspectives were incorporated into the study’s analysis.
These webinars continue that commitment to transparency by bringing the completed findings back to the communities that helped inform the study. The study specifically commits to publicly sharing its findings so that communities that participated in the process can also see the results.
Webinar Recordings
We invited community members, agricultural producers, local agencies, businesses, and regional partners to learn more about the completed feasibility study and what the findings could mean for the region.
Each webinar provided an overview of the study, highlight findings relevant to the participating county or counties, and discussed the recommended next steps for this project.
Colusa County Webinar
September 21, 2026
Yuba & Sutter Counties Webinar
September 22, 2026
Yolo County Webinar
September 23, 2026
Where Does the Project Go From Here?
The study recommends moving into focused pre-development rather than directly into implementation. That next phase would include confirming available and contractable feedstock, identifying a potential host or site, developing a project-specific financial model, identifying customers or energy offtake opportunities, evaluating utility and interconnection needs, and continuing community engagement.
Explore the Full Feasibility Study
The complete study provides detailed information about agricultural biomass resources, potential technologies, financing and costs, regulatory and permitting considerations, transportation, workforce impacts, community input, and county-y-county findings.
