RUMFORD – River Valley Growth Council is seeking a $4.7 million grant to fund a two-year pilot biomass conversion project. It would be located at the current site of the MeadWestvaco warehouse in Peru.
Council Executive Director Scott Christiansen said the grant application was submitted Thursday to the federal Department of Energy. The council would be notified of a decision on the grant in April.
Although competition for federal funding is stiff, Christiansen said, every applicant has a chance.
If the grant is approved, a new company called Lignokem would be formed, with the council owning half, and several companies and institutions owning shares.
Companies and institutions partnering with the council for the project would include MeadWestvaco Specialty Paper; Central Maine Power; University of Maine; River Valley Technology Center of Rumford; Elmet Technologies of Lewiston; Praxair, a Connecticut-based international industrial gas company; Calpine, a Boston power company; Enerkem Technologies of Canada; and Palcan Fuel Cell Company of British Columbia, Canada.
The growth council has explored biomass strategies for about two years.
Christiansen said the refinery would utilize materials that include wood, bark and dead trees that might otherwise be discarded. The process involves organic chemistry that takes apart carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and converts those elements into other usable materials.
The demonstration project would convert low value biomass into high value chemicals, including fuel additives and pharmaceuticals. Small amounts could be converted into foods and flavorings.
“Maine has the largest biomass reservoir in North America,” Christiansen said. “Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and part of Quebec have more trees than anywhere in North America. We know we have more forest now than we had in 1789 and that’s a significant measurement.”
The plan is to make fuel additives, hydrogen and char, which includes charcoal.
If the demonstration plant is successful, a permanent facility would likely be located in the River Valley, Christiansen said.
The demonstration project would employ six people. A permanent facility would employ 40-50 people in the mill. The total economic impact on the River Valley could be 210 jobs, Christiansen said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.