What is a Biomass Plant Technician?
Career Description Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
Biomass Plant Technician Responsibilities
- Operate equipment to heat biomass, using knowledge of controls, combustion, and firing mechanisms.
- Assess quality of biomass feedstock.
- Inspect biomass power plant or processing equipment, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
- Operate equipment to start, stop, or regulate biomass-fueled generators, generator units, boilers, engines, or auxiliary systems.
- Operate high-pressure steam boiler or water chiller equipment for electrical cogeneration operations.
- Calculate, measure, load, or mix biomass feedstock for power generation.
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Things a Biomass Plant Technician Should Know How to Do
When polled, Biomass Plant Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Related Job Titles
- Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Technician
- Chiller Technician
- Centrifugal Chiller Technician
- Assistant Boiler Operator
- B-Operator
Biomass Plant Technician Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 12,100 jobs in the United States for Biomass Plant Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.5% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 300 new jobs for Biomass Plant Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,200 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Biomass Plant Technician are South Dakota, Nebraska, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Massachusetts, West Virginia, or Oklahoma. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Biomass Plant Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?
The average yearly salary of a Biomass Plant Technician ranges between $34,580 and $81,750.

Biomass Plant Technicians who work in Alaska, Washington, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Biomass Plant Technicians in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $53,280 |
Alaska | $65,360 |
Arizona | $54,740 |
Arkansas | $52,910 |
California | $69,480 |
Colorado | $50,910 |
Connecticut | $65,360 |
Florida | $53,060 |
Georgia | $42,540 |
Hawaii | $68,500 |
Idaho | $63,100 |
Illinois | $63,770 |
Indiana | $60,160 |
Iowa | $62,060 |
Kansas | $66,380 |
Kentucky | $53,540 |
Louisiana | $54,610 |
Maine | $44,000 |
Maryland | $60,260 |
Massachusetts | $63,710 |
Michigan | $62,000 |
Minnesota | $67,770 |
Mississippi | $58,280 |
Missouri | $56,330 |
Montana | $60,360 |
Nebraska | $41,410 |
Nevada | $59,180 |
New Jersey | $62,690 |
New Mexico | $53,040 |
New York | $63,550 |
North Carolina | $57,370 |
North Dakota | $52,260 |
Ohio | $52,440 |
Oklahoma | $52,740 |
Oregon | $58,800 |
Pennsylvania | $55,250 |
South Carolina | $57,790 |
Tennessee | $55,980 |
Texas | $52,850 |
Utah | $53,520 |
Virginia | $62,820 |
Washington | $68,600 |
West Virginia | $54,870 |
Wisconsin | $64,240 |
What Tools & Technology do Biomass Plant Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Biomass Plant Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- Inventory control software
- Distributed control system DCS
Becoming a Biomass Plant Technician
What education or degrees do I need to become a Biomass Plant Technician?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Biomass Plant Technician?

Where do Biomass Plant Technicians Work?

Below are examples of industries where Biomass Plant Technicians work:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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