An alternative energy company based in Oregon is exploring the possibility of opening a plant in northern Arizona. 

The U.S. Forest Service awarded a grant to HM3 Energy, a company focused on biomass energy, to see how feasible it is to build a plant in northern Arizona. HM3’s CEO, Hiroshi Morihara, said the company’s biomass production process — which converts biomass such as wood or grain into a coal-like material — could help the environment and help clear forests for wildfire prevention.

“We don't have any of the harmful gases. So you know, it'll be burned very cleanly. And another thing is, when you burn coal, you produce CO2,” said Morihara.

He continued saying existing coal-fired power plants can easily be converted into a biomass plant because they are built very similarly.