MEXICO – Strategies and technology behind four different planned River Valley biomass conversion projects are to be revealed this weekend.

The meeting from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in the Mexico town hall, is expected to reveal the big picture of the projects in a cohesive way.

“We have been moving very, very fast on several fronts simultaneously, and what we are doing has the potential to significantly contribute to the employment and economic activity in the River Valley,” said Scott Christiansen.

Christiansen, executive director of the River Valley Growth Council, said the meeting is open to anyone interested in the economic future of the River Valley.

Congressman Michael Michaud, “who has indicated a keen interest in the biomass conversion efforts” and key staff have indicated they’d attend, he added.

Current biomass conversion projects sought in the River Valley are:

• A bio-refinery plant, which is a partnership between the council and Enerkem Technologies of Quebec, that is supported by a number of significant industrial partners, Christiansen said.

The bio-refinery is the subject of a $4.7 million grant application filed by the council last week with the U.S. Department of Energy.

• A Fractionation Development Center, which is a biomass conversion development and commercialization center to be located on the fourth floor of the Technology Center.

Christiansen said this facility, which is to be shared with several university, corporate and laboratory partners, is expected to create significant economic activity in the River Valley.

Approximately $7 million in state and federal funding is being sought for facility start-up.

• Membership for the Technology Center in the National Renewable Energy Lab’s Clear Energy Association, a partnership of incubators that are given the opportunity to commercialize the energy lab’s technology.

“Membership in the National Renewable Energy Lab’s Clear Energy Association would create very significant opportunities for the Tech Center to attract start-up, high-tech companies to the area,” Christiansen said.

• The Technology Center is assembling a partnership to secure grant funds to organize and develop the bioproducts sector of Maine.

Biomass conversion is the process of taking forest products – wood, deadwood, bark, tops, etc. – and converting it through various technologies into important and valuable products such as fuels and fuel additives, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food-industry products, and more.

Biomass conversion methods are called “fractionation” technologies, Christiansen said.

“It is estimated that there is currently in Maine, about 20,000 tons per day of sustainable, available biomass that can be converted into very high value products, employing thousands while simultaneously reducing our reliance on foreign oil imports,” he added.

Those giving presentations during the 2-hour meeting are:

• Norm MacIntyre, director of the River Valley Technology Center.

• Joe Derouche, president of the Growth Council.

• Dr. Esteban Chornet, professor at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, adjunct staff at the National Renewable Energy Lab, a federal research laboratory, and president of Enerkem.

For more information, contact Christiansen at 369-0396.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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