The mighty bean

Hence the test. If all goes well,and if the test results are verified to the state government8217;s satisfaction by a third-party auditor,which should happen within a few weeks,the plant will begin trucking mountains of used and otherwise useless but free cocoa-bean shells to the plant early next year. This,apparently,will be a first in America.

The shells,which have a thermal value similar to that of wood,will be mixed with the coal in a 1-to-33 ratio. An important part of the test was to see whether the power company8217;s coal-grinding machinery could also grind cocoa-bean shells to the required talcum-like powdery fineness; the machinery performed admirably.

State officials,who had previously approved the utility8217;s conversion of another boiler to burn wood,watched the testing procedure closely. Negotiating the necessary permits for the test took nearly two years,incredible though that might seem. Observers and neighbours,meanwhile,did a lot of sniffing. But to everyone8217;s disappointment,coal and cocoa shells burned together do not fill the air with the sweet smell of chocolate.

The Economist Newspaper Limited 2009