Nevada County, California
The Nevada County, California BDO Zone for Woody Biomass is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: September 22, 2025.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
Nevada County, CA holds an investment-grade BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Forest residuals, Pulpwood. Issued in Sep 2025, the rating certifies approximately 197,200 gt/yr of reliable, low-risk biomass feedstock available within a 75-mi driving distance from the center point (Grass Valley, CA).
A ‘A’ rating is an investment grade rating, signalling a reliable, low-risk feedstock supply. It signals to developers, lenders, and investors that Nevada County, CA’s feedstock supply has undergone rigorous, standardized due diligence across 100+ risk indicators, the same framework applied to every BDO Zone across North America.
Every BDO Zone Rating assesses a region across three dimensions, mapped as expanding radii around a candidate site.
- Feedstock surplus: Data indicating at least 50,000 tonnes per year of excess feedstock available to support typical intake of new biofuels manufacturing plants.
- Supply chain strength: Evidence supporting long-term commitment to supply both quantity and quality by local farmers, forestry companies, food waste generators, haulers and municipalities.
- Sound infrastructure: Suitable transportation, logistic, operating and supporting infrastructure to meet the requirements for new facility operations.
Assets & liabilities
- 98,600 bdt/yr of woody biomass potentially available at low risk, with three times as much potentially available with higher risk profile.
- Limited competitive pressure for Pulpwood due to the absence of pulp and paper mills.
- Strong community support for utilizing biomass from forest restoration and wildfire fuel removal efforts.
- An established industrial site in Grass Valley that is industrially zoned, publicly owned by Nevada County, potentially simplifying permitting and acquisition processes.
- High utility and labor costs, with electricity and natural gas significantly above national averages, and higher cost of living and average wages. Elevated local crime rates.
- Possible variations in biomass quality and quantity resulting from forest restoration, salvage, and wildfire mitigation activities.
Infrastructure & sites
- Location: 12270 La Barr Meadows Rd., Grass Valley, CA; ~11 miles to I-80; ~15 miles to rail (Colfax, CA)
- Site Size: ~21.5 acres, M-Industrial zoning
- Availability: For lease (preferred) or development; currently partially occupied (~5 acres in use)
- Overview: Industrial parcel with existing biomass-related operation and co-location opportunity for bioeconomy users
- Electric: PG&E – 25kV available nearby (<2 miles); no distribution lines currently on site
- Natural Gas: PG&E – 6" line (~50 psi) adjacent; service easily extendable
- Water: Nevada Irrigation District – 12" line to site (<1M GPD capacity)
- Wastewater: Municipal sewer not on site; connection <1 mile away
- Fiber: Xfinity – fiber, cable, wireless (up to ~2 Gbps)
- Transportation: State Highway 49 access; I-80 (11 miles); Rail access via Colfax (15 miles; Union Pacific + Amtrak); Nevada County Airport (5 miles); Sacramento International (64 miles)
- Development Advantages: Co-location potential with existing biomass carbonizing operation; County support for shared utility upgrades (electric + wastewater); Suitable for bioenergy / bioeconomy applications
Local grants & incentives
- Nevada County Grants and Funding Opportunities
- Nevada County Economic Development
Contacts
