Northern Maine Has Capacity for Grass Biomass Production, but Has Its Day Come?

As scientists comb the globe for renewable energy ideas, biomass – the use of plant material and animal waste as fuel – has come to the fore as a potential solution. Could this new market have a future in Maine’s northernmost county?

Researchers at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI), University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and Bowdoin College recently investigated the feasibility of using perennial grasses as a source biomass in Aroostook County. In a report to Aroostook stakeholders and an academic paper that looks at four townships, the researchers lay out the case in detail.

The conclusion, in short: a perennial grass biomass industry is probably feasible. But you probably won’t have Aroostook grass heating your home anytime soon.

“Based on our research, conversion of Aroostook County’s extensive sub-prime farmland into grass biomass production is not feasible under present technological and market conditions. However, our investigation suggests that its time may come in the future,” said Chunzeng Wang, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science at UMPI. See more…