‹ Back
Placer County, California
The Placer County, California BDO Zone for Woody Biomass is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: September 9, 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.
BDO Zone RatingA
Rating
A
Certified supply
149,200 gt/yr
Feedstock
Forest residuals, Pulpwood
Rated
Sep 2025
Placer County, CA holds an investment-grade BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Forest residuals, Pulpwood. Issued in Sep 2025, the rating certifies approximately 149,200 gt/yr of reliable, low-risk biomass feedstock available within a 75-mi driving distance from the center point (Ophir, CA).
A ‘A’ rating is an investment grade rating, signalling a reliable, low-risk feedstock supply. It signals to developers, lenders, and investors that Placer 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.
BDO Zone, 25 mi
Supply Zone, 75 mi
Competition Zone, 150 mi
Assets & liabilities
Assets
- 74,600 bdt/yr of woody biomass potentially available at low risk, with three times as much potentially available with higher risk profile.
- Minimal competition for available Pulpwood due to the absence of pulp and paper mills, leading to limited competitive pressure on pricing.
- A strong local support for utilization of biomass from regional forest restoration and wildfire fuel removal activities.
- A unique opportunity for joint development with the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA), which intends to use biomass to power its water treatment processes.
Liabilities
- Potential fluctuations in biomass quality and quantity arising from forest restoration, salvage, and wildfire mitigation activities.
- Higher utility and labor costs compared to national averages, and a high cost of living, potentially increasing operational expenses and affecting workforce recruitment and retention.
Infrastructure & sites
Ophir (Newcastle) Industrial Site
- Location: Ophir (Newcastle), CA; <1 mile from I-80, ~4 miles to Union Pacific rail
- Site Size: 10 acres, industrial-zoned (M-Industrial)
- Availability: Existing storage yard; minimal site preparation required
- Overview: Development-ready industrial site with full utilities and strong power infrastructure; well-suited for biomass energy projects
- Electric: PG&E – up to 15kV; substation adjacent
- Natural Gas: 6" line; expandable for industrial volumes
- Water: 12" main (~1M GPD capacity)
- Wastewater: Available
- Fiber: Fiber optic connectivity
- Transportation: I-80 (<1 mile); Union Pacific rail (~4 miles)
- Owned by Placer County Water Agency
- Potential for behind-the-meter power (reduced cost, improved reliability; subject to future on-site generation)
- Setting: Established utility-served site with excellent highway access and low development barriers
Foresthill Industrial Parcels (Former Sawmill Site)
- Location: Foresthill, CA; along Foresthill Road with year-round truck access
- Site Size: ~71 acres (2 adjacent parcels), Industrial Park (INP) zoning
- Availability: Vacant land; previously developed sawmill site
- Overview: Disturbed, relatively flat industrial site with strong suitability for biomass and other industrial redevelopment
- Electric: Nearby Foresthill substation with available capacity (~1.1 MW feasible)
- Water: Available nearby
- Wastewater: Available nearby
- Natural Gas: Not specified
- Fiber: Not specified
- Transportation: Direct truck access via Foresthill Road (year-round feedstock logistics)
- No rezoning required (INP zoning)
- Located away from residential areas and schools (streamlined air permitting)
- Former industrial use reduces site prep complexity
- Setting: Rural industrial location with strong permitting advantages and rare available grid capacity for small-scale generation
Colfax Landfill Site
- Location: Colfax, CA; 8635 Fruitridge Road, off Iowa Hill Road with year-round truck access
- Site Size: ~16.5 acres Public/Quasi Public zoning
- Availability: Vacant land; previously closed landfill
- Overview: Disturbed, relatively flat paved industrial site with strong suitability for biomass and other industrial redevelopment
- Electric: Nearby Colfax substation with available capacity (~1.1 MW feasible)
- Water: Available to site
- Wastewater: Available nearby
- Natural Gas: Not specified
- Fiber: Not specified
- Transportation: Direct truck access via Iowa Hill Road (year-round feedstock logistics) to Interstate 80
- No rezoning required, Conditional Use Permit
- Located away from residential areas and schools (streamlined air permitting)
- Former landfill site reduces site prep complexity
- Setting: Rural industrial location with strong permitting advantages and rare available grid capacity for small-scale generation.
Colfax Waste Water Treatment Site
- Location: Colfax, CA; 23550 Grandview Avenue, off Iowa Hill Road with year-round truck access
- Site Size: ~ 3-5 acres Public/Quasi Public zoning
- Availability: Vacant land; adjacent to operating waste water treatment site
- Overview: Disturbed, relatively flat industrial site with strong suitability for biomass and other industrial redevelopment
- Electric: Nearby Colfax substation with available capacity (~1.1 MW feasible)
- Water: on-site well
- Wastewater: on-site
- Natural Gas: Not specified
- Fiber: Not specified
- Transportation: Direct truck access via Iowa Hill Road (year-round feedstock logistics) to Interstate 80
- No rezoning required, Conditional Use Permit
- Located away from residential areas and schools (streamlined air permitting)
- Existing waste-water treatment site reduces site prep complexity
- Setting: Rural industrial location with strong permitting advantages and rare available grid capacity for small-scale generation.
Local grants & incentives
- Fast-tracked permitting process through the Placer County Conservation Program
- Placer County Recycling Market Development Zone
- Placer County Business Advantage Network
- Golden Sierra Job Training Agency
- Placer Business Resource Center
- Access to workforce via Sierra College, Sacramento State University, and the University of California, Davis
- California Biomass Collaborative at UC Davis
- Placer County Office of Economic Development
- California I-Bank (CA Treasurer's Infrastructure & Economic Development Bank) (IBank) - industrial development bonds, small business loan guarantee (1-750 employees), and tax-exempt financing
- CA I-Bank Climate Catalyst Program
- California Competes Tax Credit
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
- Sales Tax Exemption
- Sales and Use Tax Exclusion (STE) Program
- Employment Training Panel (ETP)
- Economic Development Rate Program (GO-Biz)
- Business Investment Services (CalBIS)
- Export Support STEP Grant
Contacts
BDO Zone Initiative
Placer County
Ava Westin
Economic and Workforce Development Specialist
Gloria Stearns
Economic Development Director
BDO ZoneCONNECT Webinar
Get the full Placer County, CA rating
Enter your name and email to download the complete Placer County, CA BDO Zone rating report, feedstock analysis, and infrastructure detail.