USDA grant will help UMaine team turn forest products into jet fuel and fish feed
Researchers at the University of Maine, a New England Council member, have received a $10 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate the use of low-value wood to produce jet fuel and fish feed.
Wood contains organic compounds called lignins that can be converted into fuel and sugars that can be fermented into fish feed proteins. Developing new products using wood that has been considered waste could create additional revenue streams, maximize the value of the forestland, avoid changes in land use, and encourage more effective forest management.
“The new funding is key to developing creative and sustainable markets for underutilized forest biomass while prioritizing the inclusive values that are important to advancing equitable rural development in Maine,” said Clayton Wheeler, director of UMaine’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute.
The New England Council commends the University of Maine for taking on this innovative exploration of wood use.
Read more in Mainebiz.